Bleach: Squad Life & Frostbitten Lightning
by Tayomi Sakuri
Summary: Tayomi & Hitsugaya have finally entered the Gotei 13!But with Aizen running loose,will they be able to protect it?Most importantly,will they still have a future together?Pre-Fake Karakura Town Arc.Part 2 of Frostbitten Lightning Saga :D HitsuOC
1. Welcome to the Gotei 13!

**CHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO THE GOTEI 13!**

Tayomi could feel the sunlight burning onto her face and woke up immediately. She rubbed her eyes, realising that it would be her first day at work, as a member of the Gotei 13. True enough, Hitsugaya had been separated from her and he went to the 10th Division, while she went to the 4th Division. The 4th Division was in charge of healing and supplies, taking care of patients and the maintenance of the Gotei 13 barracks. The both of them had become seated Shinigami. She threw off her blanket and immediately got ready, excited about her first day.

"Everyone, this is the new 6th seat of our Division, Tayomi Sakuri." Captain Unohana smiled at her division. "She will also be the leader of the 13th Advanced Relief Team."

"Um… Pleased to meet you!" Tayomi spoke nervously and bowed.

The Captain of her division was Unohana Retsu and the lieutenant was Kotetsu Isane. Captain Unohana brought her into the barracks and introduced her to the rest of the seated officers. She was informed that she would be working closely with their 7th seat, Hanataro Yamada. Hanataro smiled at her and they shook hands. He seemed like a funny type of guy and looked as nervous as she was. Tayomi smiled at everyone in her Division. All of them seemed like nice people, with the exception of their 3rd seat, Yasochika Iemura. He was constantly writing in a journal and looked rather strict, causing Tayomi to be afraid of him, fearing that he would lash out at her at the slightest mistake she made. _I have to be careful… Really careful, now. Since I'm playing nurse, lots of lives are going to be in my hands and I have to hold onto them…_

Lieutenant Isane was really nice to her on her first day, giving her a tour around the 4th Division's barracks. Tayomi observed the various members of her Division, healing all the injured members of the Gotei 13 and about to set off to clean areas in Soul Society. Isane smiled at her gently, trying to calm down the newest member of her division, who was small-sized and clearly nervous. Just then, Captain Unohana interrupted them for a brief moment, instructing Tayomi to lead her team into the 11th Division's barracks to heal their injured members. Tayomi shuddered. She knew that the 11th Division looked down on their Division and often bullied their members. Nodding her head, Tayomi gathered her team and bravely marched down to the 11th Division's barracks.

* * *

She entered the 11th Division's barracks with her team and looked around. It was full of injured Shinigami, who had clearly been fighting over some trivial matter as they usually did. The 11th Division was all about melee combat and they adored fighting, united under their Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki. Tayomi wondered how 'united' they could possibly be, since they had just fought with each other and everyone was so injured, that her relief team had to go to them, instead of them coming to her. She sighed and turned to face her team.

"Ok then, everyone!" Tayomi smiled. "Let's heal every single one of them as quickly as possible!"

Her team nodded, instantly respecting their new leader. She smiled and being the leader of the team, she was to heal the Captain first. She had heard all sorts of stories about Captain Kenpachi and how crazy he was about fighting. Nervously, she walked over to the man with an eyepatch, spiked hair and bells at its tips. He appeared aggressive but did not look as if he was about to beat her up, probably because he was injured. She searched her medical backpack and took out a whole roll of bandages, which she would later use on his arm. A green light appeared over Kenpachi's wound and Tayomi focused all her energy into healing it.

"Hey, you're the new 6th seat of the 4th Division that everyone's been calling 'a prodigy'?" Kenpachi asked.

"Um…" Tayomi was caught by surprise. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Are you a strong fighter?"

"In terms of swordsmanship?" Tayomi smiled. "I guess it's alright… My Kidou is much better though. It is my strength, after all."

"Hm…" Kenpachi had a strange grin on his face. "If you're bored, come over to my Division's barracks anytime and LETS FIGHT!"

Tayomi stared at him with a blank look for a few seconds, before quickly looking down and focusing all her attention on healing Kenpachi. She had just entered the Gotei 13 and she was being offered a chance to battle a Captain. _Interesting…_ She bandaged his wounds and felt a small hand pat her on the head. Tayomi turned around to see a girl with pink hair who was about the same size as she was. The young girl was wearing the 11th Division's Lieutenant insignia on her arm, leading Tayomi to deduce that she was the Vice-Captain of that Division. Strangely enough, she was not injured at all.

"Hi! Are you the new 6th seat of the 4th Division?" She beamed. "Thank you for healing Ken-chan!"

"Yachiru, I told you not to come here…" Kenpachi grumbled.

"Ah, Ken-chan! But everyone's done fighting already! Why can't I come here?" Yachiru whined, before turning to Tayomi. "What's your name?"

"Tayomi Sakuri…"

"Kuri-chan!" Yachiru giggled, making Tayomi giggle as well.

Maybe the 11th Division was not as scary as she thought it would be. Their Lieutenant seemed rather nice and their Captain was slightly crazy, but it was fine. As she led her Relief Team back to the 4th Division's barracks, she passed by the 10th Division's barracks and could not help but wonder how Hitsugaya was doing. She sighed, knowing she would only find out at night, when they met each other outside her Division's barracks to begin Bankai training.

* * *

That night, the both of them sat on a tree, sharing their stories on the first day of work. Hitsugaya told her that his day was nothing special, other than introductions and showing him around the Division's barracks. He commented that he had started training for Bankai as well, before they met up that night. Tayomi smiled and took out her Zanpakutou, stabbing it onto the grass and closing her eyes, entering a meditative state. Hitsugaya did the same thing as well and the two prepared to call forth their Zanpakutou's spirits.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Sigh, I thought this chapter was rather strange. I had no idea what interesting things could happen on her first day at the 4th Squad. But finally, Unohana, Isane, Hanataro, Iemura,Kenpachi and Yachiru are in the story! :D I have to make Unohana use her scary-gentle powers soon XD  
Next chapter, we shall finally enter Inazuma Kaze's inner world! I HAVE to include it and show her progress towards Bankai (of course I'd make her learn Bankai...). I'll also drop another hint on the special feature of her Zanpakutou too :D Please review and I hope you liked this short introduction to the story! XD


	2. Inazuma Kaze

**CHAPTER 2: INAZUMA KAZE**

Tayomi woke up in her inner world. She stood in a cold dark sea, with the water up to her knees. There was lightning flashing across the sky continuously, but the roll of the thunder never sounded and there was not a single dark cloud in sight. The sky and Tayomi's eyes were of the similar purplish-blue shade. Pink flower petals floated in the dark blue waters and collected near her wrists. She looked across the waters and spotted a tall, slim figure in the distance.

"Inazuma Kaze!" Tayomi whispered, walking towards her.

Inazuma Kaze was a tall, slim woman wearing a dark blue cape, with a pale yellow shirt and navy blue shorts underneath. She had long yellow hair with blue highlights, with her fringe brushed to the right side of her face and the rest of her hair tied up into a low ponytail to the left side. She had fierce, sharp eyes which were pointed at the ends and her eye colour was sky blue. Her fingernails were painted gold and she had a pink cord tied around her right wrist, sharing the same shade of pink as Tayomi's hairband. Inazuma Kaze wore black boots and had another pink cord tied around her right ankle.

"Tayomi-chan!" Inazuma Kaze squealed and ran towards her.

_Yes! She's in a good mood today! _Tayomi smiled and hugged her. Perhaps today's training would go smoother this time, compared to the last time. She shuddered as she remembered the last time she tried to conquer Inazuma Kaze. Inazuma Kaze was in a very bad mood and she lashed out at Tayomi with all her might. Learning Bankai was much harder for Tayomi and seeing as her Zanpakutou was in a good mood, she decided to begin training right away. Inazuma Kaze smiled at her and opened her palm towards her, saying that she would make Tayomi work hard today and told her to keep going if she wanted to achieve Bankai. Achieving Bankai would take at least a hundred years of effort and Tayomi was willing to go through it. Inazuma Kaze began the first phase of their usual training by firing several darts made of lightning bolts at her. Tayomi squeaked and dodged all the darts. Inazuma Kaze seemed to be firing at a quicker pace than usual and Tayomi feared that her mood would change soon. _I have to make sure she sustains this mood, or else I'll take even longer to learn my Bankai…_

Knowing her Zanpakutou well enough, Tayomi worked even harder than usual. Inazuma Kaze moved onto the second stage and fired arrow-shaped lightning bolts at her. Her speed had increased drastically and Tayomi had just missed the arrows by centimetres. Although it was hard work, she had to admit that it was a good workout. With such training, she could improve her agility by leaps and bounds. Since her element was lightning, she would never live it down if her speed was average. Her speed had to be exceedingly impressive. She had to move like lightning or she would not be living up to her Zanpakutou's name. Inazuma Kaze had Tayomi running all over the place, jumping up and down frantically in order to dodge her attacks.

"Stop panicking like a small kid!" Inazuma Kaze shouted angrily. "You have to keep your cool, believe in your speed and just dodge my arrows!"

Tayomi took a deep breath and observed the arrows flying at her. Inazuma Kaze sent four arrows at her; the first on her right, the second on her left, the third behind her back and the last coming right in her face. She heeded Inazuma Kaze's advice and got really serious, using Shunpo to jump up and allow the four arrows to crash into each other, causing a lightning-based explosion. Inazuma Kaze smiled and proceeded to the last phase, unsheathing a pale yellow katana, eighty centimetres in length. There was a long chain and two long strips of ribbon attached to the bottom of the hilt, which glowed bright yellow in colour and formed a lightning bolt's shape. It was the hardest phase of all. Inazuma Kaze's speed would increase by ten folds and so did her strength and power.

She struck Tayomi with her increased agility and Tayomi just defended in time, with Inazuma Kaze pushing against her blade with terrifying strength. Tayomi tried to keep calm on the outside, but inside her heart rate had just increased by ten folds as well. The whole purpose of the last stage was to defeat Inazuma Kaze if she wanted to achieve Bankai. At her current strength, Tayomi knew she was far from achieving Bankai and understood why achieving it took at least a hundred years. She was still lacking experience in the battle field and she had come out fresh from school. Only by defeating Inazuma Kaze, would she learn the name of her Bankai and be able to use it. _Using Shikai against her is just pointless… She'll absorb my attacks. Using Kidou is pointless too, since my Zanpakutou can absorb Kidou and project it at the enemy with increased power. I'll have to strictly use Zanjutsu and speed to win her… I'm going to take a hundred years for myself to defeat her, definitely._

Inazuma Kaze attempted to slash Tayomi several times, almost succeeding. Tayomi knew that she could not let Inazuma Kaze touch her, or she would use 'Inazuma' against her. 'Inazuma' could be fatal and very damaging to one. _I cannot let her touch me at all costs!_ Tayomi spent most of the battle dodging, since at her current standard, she was unable to fight back completely without getting injured. She could only defend, defend and keep on defending. Inazuma Kaze sighed and suddenly vanished. Tayomi blinked, realising that her Zanpakutou had gotten tired and decided to disappear on her, like she usually did when she wanted to end their training.

* * *

"6th seat Tayomi, it's morning already…"

Tayomi heard a voice and opened her eyes to see Captain Unohana and Hitsugaya staring at her. She felt the first ray of sunlight streaming onto her face and rubbed her eyes. She had meditated for the whole night.

"6th seat Tayomi, why don't you see the 6th seat of the 10th Division back to his barracks?" Captain Unohana smiled at her.

"Um…" Tayomi started to blush. "Taichou, I…"

"See him back to his barracks, Sakuri…" Captain Unohana gave her a gentle, yet absolutely frightening smile. Tayomi's eyes were wide and she nodded, still stunned by her Captain's expression.

* * *

Hitsugaya and Tayomi stood up and walked towards the 10th Division's barracks. Tayomi sighed and Hitsugaya patted her on the head.

"I was up meditating for the whole night, just like you…" He yawned. "At least you won't have messy bed hair, just like that time when I slept over in your house during the summer…"

"But you woke up later than me that time…" Tayomi mumbled.

"I woke up in the middle of the night." He scratched his head. "Your hair was really messy. You looked like your hair got caught in a tornado or something…"

"YOU'RE EXAGERRATING." Tayomi huffed and dragged him back to the 10th Division's barracks.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**So that was a nice look into Tayomi's inner world and what her Zanpakutou's spirit looks like :D I'm going to attempt to draw her spirit too... Drawing Tayomi perfectly is really hard *sighs* I hope you all liked this chapter, please review! XD Thanks! ^.^  
Next chapter, we shall all get nosebleeds :D


	3. Major Unrest

**CHAPTER 3: MAJOR UNREST**

Tayomi and the rest of the 4th Division waited patiently in their Division's barracks. That day, the 6th, 10th and 11th Division would all be out on missions, as there had been a serious disturbance in Rukongai. The 6th, 10th and 11th Divisions have left to fight hollows in different districts in Rukongai. There had been many incidents occurring recently, with a sudden increase in the number of hollows. It was guaranteed that there would be many injured after going on the mission. Tayomi sat at her desk in her office, writing medical reports.

She felt rather distracted though, knowing that Hitsugaya was the one leading a team of Shinigami from his Division to fight the hollows. She wondered what hollows they would encounter and hoped there would be as little casualties as possible. Staring blankly at her medical report, she thought briefly for a moment as she wrote about healing at the 11th Division. The 11th Division had instantly loved fighting more than ever and claimed to be more unified since the recent arrival of Captain Kenpachi. They were a rather strange bunch of people, but so far, she had not observed them bullying any of the members of her Division. She sighed and continued writing in her medical journal.

Looking at her communicator, she wondered if she should send Hitsugaya anything. The three divisions had just left their Division's barracks for Rukongai and should be out of the gates by now. She picked up her communicator and quickly texted Hitsugaya.

'Hi Hitsugaya-kun! Good luck on your first mission! Please don't get injured, I might refuse to heal you…'

* * *

Hitsugaya led his team out of the gates and headed towards Rukongai District 78, Inuzuri, the South Alley of Flowing Spirits. It would be a long and tiring walk to the District and Hitsugaya hoped his members would cooperate with him. He felt his communicator ring and immediately checked it, thinking that he had received further updates from his upperclass-men. Instead, it was a message from Tayomi. He read it and could not help but smile. He quickly texted her back, promising her that he would not get injured and that if he did, she could do whatever she wanted to him for breaking his promise. Hitsugaya gripped the sash she had made for him to carry his Zanpakutou and turned to his comrades, ordering them to continue walking for an hour more before they took a break.

An hour later, the team of members from the 10th Division and Hitsugaya relaxed on the grass, exhausted from all that travelling. His communicator had received another message from Tayomi. Tayomi had replied, with nothing but a smiley face. That alone was enough to make him smile. After a five minute break, he continued leading his team towards Inuzuri. As they got closer and closer to their destination, he could feel his heart beat faster, preparing to be ambushed by hollows. Before he knew it, they had arrived at their destination. Hitsugaya immediately ordered his team to search the area and kill all hollows on sight, before they harmed the inhabitants. He heard a roar from behind him and spotted a large hollow, green in colour and twice of his height. Unsheathing his Zanpakutou, he charged towards the hollow, which was preparing to fire a Cero. He dodged the Cero and slashed it with all his strength. However, he got careless and the hollow slashed his back, leaving a deep wound diagonally across his back. He could feel it bleed profusely and gritted his teeth, bearing with the pain as he released Hyourinmaru. He quickly sent an ice dragon towards the hollow, freezing it all over. Unexpectedly, the hollow managed to break out of the ice and charged at him, slashing his right arm. The hollow attempted to slash him again and using Shunpo, he avoided the hollow's attack and lunged towards it, aiming for its white mask. He slashed and broke the hollow's mask, causing the hollow to turn into ice.

Hitsugaya could feel blood rushing from his wound, down his back and sticking to his clothes. He had broken his promise on his first battle. Shoving thoughts out of his mind, he ran throughout the district, searching for hollows. The other hollows seemed much easier than the first one he fought, being much smaller in size and less powerful. He glanced at his much more experienced comrades, who were quickly killing off the hollows and protecting the inhabitants of Rukongai. By mid-afternoon, the hollows were all gone and they were ready to return to their Division's barracks.

"6th Seat Hitsugaya!" One of the members shouted. "You're injured!"

"Never mind, it's alright." Hitsugaya replied coldly. "Everyone, carry the injured back to the 4th Division's barracks for healing."

He carried one of his injured comrades using his left arm and started walking back to the Gotei 13 headquarters. His comrades stared at him in awe. For a small-sized boy who was new to this, he was really strong. They instantly respected him and followed his orders, bringing the injured back towards the 4th Division's barracks.

* * *

Tayomi had finally finished her report, when she heard footsteps. She knew that it was caused by members of the 10th Division streaming into her barracks. Members of the 4th Division immediately helped the injured to the beds and began healing them immediately. Placing her finished report on top of her stack of other finished reports, she was about to rush outside to see if there were other patients for her to heal when someone knocked on the door. Hitsugaya entered her office and smiled at her, appearing to be still in one piece. Tayomi giggled and walked over to close the door behind him, before hugging him from the back.

"OUCH!" Hitsugaya screamed in pain.

"Eh, Hitsugaya!" Tayomi gasped, before faking an angry face. "You're injured, aren't you?"

"You don't have to heal me, I broke my promise…" He muttered, sounding unexpectedly serious. "You can do whatever you want to me now."

"Ok then…" Tayomi smiled and pretended to think hard for a moment. "I want you to sit down and let me heal you."

Hitsugaya sat down on the floor and Tayomi knelt down before him.

"So, where is it?" She smiled. Hitsugaya pointed to his back. For a few moments, they stared blankly at each other before Tayomi broke the silence by asking an awkward question.

"Um… Then can you take off your…" Her face started to turn red.

"I would have done that, but my right arm is injured too. The hollow got mad when I froze him." Hitsugaya muttered, starting to blush as well. He used his left arm to lift up his right sleeve, revealing the deep gash on his right arm.

Tayomi blinked and she knew what she had to do. _It's so awkward._ She undid his hakama-himo and slowly took off his kosode and shitagi for him, such that it revealed his upper body and his injuries. She felt her face burn up as Hitsugaya continued staring at her. Here she was, staring at him without his shirt on. As rude as it was to stare, she could not help but stare at him, realising that he was growing muscles and turning into a man, while she seemed to have not grown at all. She began healing his arm first, since it was not too serious and quickly bandaged it. Then, she ran behind him and stared at the wound on his back. It was really serious and she had a feeling that bandaging it would be rather painful. Nevertheless, she began healing his injury, as Hitsugaya turned his head to look at her. After it was healed, she bandaged it, trying to make it as painless as possible. Hitsugaya seemed fine with it, but she knew that he was resisting the urge to scream in pain. Once she was done, she put his clothes back on for him, still feeling awkward. She quickly kissed him on the nose and smiled.

"It's been hard on you…" She sighed. "Um… Be careful when you take a bath, it's going to be really painful… And if it hurts really bad, just tell me… Please be more careful next time…"

Hitsugaya nodded and used his left arm to hold the back of her head, pushing it towards his and kissing her on the lips for a second. He left her office and returned to his Division's barracks, leaving Tayomi in her office. Tayomi blinked again, glad that no one saw how red her face was after that.

* * *

**Author's note:  
***NOSEBLEED* I hope you liked this chapter! I tried to make it longer than the usual 1000+ words and I managed to write about 1500 words :D In future the chapters will definitely be longer, so don't worry XD The story is just getting started and everything is still generally peaceful so there isn't much to write. Next chapter, we shall shoot forward by 10 years (writing about healing for 5 chapters isn't fun) and Unohana gives Tayomi a piece of good news! Stay tuned for it and please review! :D  
I had 3 reviews for my first 2 chapters, 2 by sasusakufan2357 and 1 by Vampire Princess 987! :D Thank you for the reviews! ^.^ I'm super happy!


	4. Switch

**CHAPTER 4: SWITCH**

Five years had passed in a flash. Five years of healing, healing and more healing. Tayomi was proud to be a member of the 4th Division and took her work seriously. Even 3rd Seat Iemura was constantly impressed with her and never got the chance to bark at her for some mistake she made. Hanatarou was hilarious and Isane and she played pranks on him once in a while, though they went easy on him on his birthday, which fell on April Fools' Day. Captain Unohana had been really nice to her, despite the fact that she was known as one of the kindest and scariest Captains throughout the whole Gotei 13. As Tayomi wrote her medical reports, she never failed to smile and laugh. Being in the Gotei 13 was hard work, but she had been put into a nice division and it kept her happy.

One day, Captain Unohana called Tayomi into her office. Tayomi wondered why Captain Unohana would call her all of a sudden and kept her fingers crossed, hoping she was not in trouble.

"6th Seat Tayomi, do you know why I've called you here?" Captain Unohana smiled at her. Tayomi shook her head.

"Well, you have been doing well in the 4th Division. You are a good healer and everyone whom has been healed by you tells me how great your treatments are. They have also told me that in terms of combat, you have a lot of potential as well… So I have decided to recommend you for a promotion. You will follow me to the Captain-commander Yanamoto's office tomorrow. He will see if you deserve the promotion."

"But Unohana Taichou, I'm really happy in the 4th Division and I…" Tayomi spoke with a flustered tone. She had not expected a promotion that quickly at all.

"You will follow me tomorrow, 6th Seat Tayomi." Captain Unohana gave Tayomi her signature, gentle yet scary smile.

"Y-y-yes, Unohana Taichou…" Tayomi was too stunned for words.

That night, Tayomi and Hitsugaya snuck out of their Division's barracks to go star gazing together. They lay on an open patch of grass outside Hitsugaya's Division's barracks. The stars danced among the fluffy clouds in the night sky, blinking at them every once in a while. It seemed that the stars shone brighter there compared to in Rukongai, yet the stars in Rukongai gave them a much warmer and nostalgic feeling. The clouds seemed rather playful that night, forming all sorts of shapes, some which looked like flowers and some which looked like her bunny soft toy. Tayomi began to tell him about Captain Unohana recommending her to be promoted and the possible chances of her transferring to another Division. Hitsugaya turned to look at her and noticed a hint of sadness in her voice. He sat up and asked her what was wrong. Tayomi sighed and sat up as well. She told him honestly that if she were promoted, she knew that she could not bear to leave the 4th Division. As nice as a promotion sounded, she had grown attached to her Division and the people in it over these five years. Just thinking about it made her sad. She assured him that she would not do something as stupid as performing badly tomorrow, just to allow herself to stay in the 4th Division. She had decided to believe in Captain Unohana's decision and do her proud. Hitsugaya put his arm around her and patted her head, wishing her good luck. Tayomi smiled a little and ruffled his white hair, before resting her head on his shoulder.

* * *

The next morning, Tayomi woke up bright and early, realising that she had to meet Captain-commander Yanamoto today and secure her chances of a promotion. She washed up and opened her door, with Captain Unohana standing right outside and giving her a shock in broad daylight. Captain Unohana led her to the 1st Division's barracks. While walking there, Tayomi felt her communicator vibrate and checked it. There was a message from Hitsugaya, wishing her all the best. She smiled and continued walking to the 1st Division's barracks. After a few minutes, they finally arrived at the 1st Division's barracks. It looked much grander and bigger than the other Divisions', boasting of a massive size and towering the other Divisions' barracks. Captain Unohana brought her into the Captain's meeting room, where the Captains from various Divisions were. Tayomi recognised Captain-commander Yanamoto, Captain Aizen and Captain Kenpachi instantly. There were a few unfamiliar faces around, making her nervous.

"Come forward, 6th Seat Tayomi." Captain-commander Yanamoto called her forward. Tayomi walked forward and looked at him.

"Have you started training for Bankai?" He asked her.

Tayomi nodded nervously. She hoped he would not probe further about her Bankai, because Tayomi knew she would take very long to master it. She had been making good progress with Inazuma Kaze and believed she was quite close to achieving Bankai, but she knew that mastering it would take decades. _At least I know that I underestimated myself… I'm quite sure I can achieve and master my Bankai under a hundred years now. But even so, I still think I'll take a few decades to achieve it. _

"Show us your Shikai." Captain-commander Yanamoto ordered her, with a firm voice.

Tayomi cautiously unsheathed her Zanpakutou, hoping that she would not mess up.

"Ikkimaku, Inazuma Kaze."

Her Zanpakutou started to split open down the middle, bending away to reveal a black katana. As for the blade which split open and bent away, its edges curved up and down to form razor-sharp spikes and became pale yellow in colour. The chain and ribbon attached to the hilt of her Zanpakutou curled around her wrist, securing itself to her arm. With determination in her eyes, she faced Captain-commander Yanamoto, waiting for his next command. He nodded and told her to keep her Zanpakutou, return to her Division's barracks and await the results.

* * *

"So, should we promote her?" Captain-commander Yanamoto asked the other Captains.

"She showed a lot of promise in her school days and she's been doing very well in the 4th Division. Her Kidou is already unbelievably strong as it has always been and if she was promoted, she could work on her combat skills and become an outstanding Shinigami." Captain Aizen said.

"She was a real prodigy, wasn't she?" Captain Kyoraku Shunsui smiled. "Then, why don't you promote her, Yama-jii?"

The other Captains nodded in agreement, deciding unanimously that 6th Seat of the 4th Division, Tayomi Sakuri, deserved a promotion.

* * *

Tayomi wrote in her medical journal, nervously awaiting the results. Just then, Captain Unohana entered her room, smiling as she gave Tayomi the good news. Tayomi squealed and hugged Captain Unohana. In just five years, she had gotten a promotion! She smiled to herself, glad that she would be in a higher position than a 6th seat. _If I can get promoted so quickly, maybe Susu-chan will be promoted soon. I wonder which Division I'm going to… _She felt sad to leave the 4th Division and Captain Unohana seemed aware of that. Captain Unohana informed her that they would be throwing a farewell party for her tonight and that she would announce which Division she would be transferred to.

That night, the whole of the 4th Division sat in the garden in the middle of the Division's barracks, admiring the full moon while sipping tea. Tayomi sat beside Lieutenant Kotetsu, who had looked after her like a sister for the past five years. She hugged Lieutenant Kotetsu, telling her that she would miss her very much. Isane hugged her back, promising Tayomi that they would keep in touch. Hanatarou smiled at her and Tayomi smiled back, giggling as she told him that she would no longer have the chance to play pranks on him. Hanatarou laughed nervously and wished her all the best for her future. Even Iemura was nice for once, praising her for doing a good job for the past five years. Tayomi thanked him and hugged him as well. Iemura seemed a little shocked at first, but seeing as it was her last day, he patted the head of one of the most capable healers in the 4th Division. Captain Unohana immediately called for everybody's attention and announced that Tayomi would be transferred to the 13th Division from next week onwards, assuming her new position as their 4th Seat. The 4th Division erupted into applause and Tayomi was forced up to give a speech.

"Um…" Tayomi smiled, trying to hold back her tears. "I'm not really good at speeches, but I want to thank everyone for making my past five years in the 4th Division so enjoyable. I've been having the greatest time working with all of you and healing the injured with a happy face. I… I'm so glad that I was assigned to this Division and I'm really going to miss all of you. Thank you, members of the 13th Advanced Relief Team and other members of the 4th Division for everything. Thank you 7th Seat Hanatarou, 3rd Seat Iemura, Lieutenant Kotetsu and Unohana Taichou for everything. Thank you…"

Tayomi bowed and looked at the whole 4th Division for the last time. Next week, she would no longer be a member of the 4th Division, but a member of the 13th Division. Looking on the bright side, she could improve her combat skills and the 13th Division's barracks were much closer to the 10th Division's barracks compared to the 4th Division's. Tayomi smiled, determined to enjoy her last week as a member of the 4th Division of the Gotei 13.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Tayomi got her promotion! :D Next chapter, it will be all about her first day in the 13th Division :)  
And I'm starting school tomorrow, so I will not be able to update as often as I do now T.T I'll definitely have at least one chapter up per week though :D  
Stay tuned for the next chapter and please review! XD Thanks! ^.^


	5. 13th Division

**CHAPTER 5: 13****th**** DIVISION**

Tayomi nervously entered the 13th Division's barracks for the very first time. She looked around and saw everyone busy with their own work. A tall man with spiky black hair and green eyes approached her, smiling. He wore the Lieutenant's insignia on his left arm, leading Tayomi to conclude that he was the Lieutenant of her new division. The Lieutenant immediately introduced himself to her, still wearing the same smile. His name was Shiba Kaien and he called a woman with blue eyes over. He introduced her as Shiba Miyako, his wife and 3rd Seat of the 13th Division. Tayomi smiled back at them, introducing herself as well. Kaien patted her on the head and brought her to their Captain's office.

Kaien and Tayomi entered their Captain's office together. Sitting on the chair was a man with long white hair and a gentle smile. He smiled at Tayomi and welcomed her to the 13th Division, introducing himself as Captain Ukitake Juushiro. Tayomi instantly felt welcomed and introduced herself, bowing down to him. Captain Ukitake laughed and patted her on the head. _For some reason, everyone is patting me on the head and treating me like a little girl. _Kaien informed Captain Ukitake that he would be bringing one of the members of the 13th Division out for training and Captain Ukitake nodded, suggesting he bring Tayomi along and introduce her to the members of their Division. Kaien agreed and told Tayomi to follow him to Mount Koifushi of Hokutan, the 3rd district of West Rukongai, where one of their members was waiting. They immediately set off for Mount Koifushi and Tayomi felt excited to meet someone new.

* * *

Tayomi and Kaien went up the hill, chatting on the way. It turned out that Kaien was a fellow prodigy like her, graduating from the Spiritual Arts Academy in two years. When he heard that she had graduated in a year, he laughed, saying that the students from the Academy were getting stronger and stronger. Tayomi shook her head, claiming that she was not that strong yet. Kaien smiled and asked her to help out the members of the 13th Division whenever she could. Tayomi nodded. Just then, she spotted a dark-haired girl waiting on the top of the hill. She was rather short just like Tayomi, but definitely taller than her. She had violet eyes and a strand of hair hanging in between her eyes, possessing a stoic expression. Once she saw Kaien, her face lighted up in a split second. Kaien smiled back and introduced her to Tayomi.

"Rukia, this is the new 4th Seat of the 13th Division, Tayomi Sakuri. Tayomi, this is Rukia." Kaien beamed.

"Hi Ruki-chan!" Tayomi spoke cheerfully.

Rukia stared at her with a strange expression before smiling, probably happy to meet her new 4th Seat and being able to find someone shorter than her. Tayomi blushed and apologised for giving her a nickname so quickly, explaining that she usually gave nicknames to people whom she felt she would share a close relationship with. Kaien immediately started training with Rukia, but this time, suggesting that Tayomi and Rukia sparred against each other. He warned Tayomi not to go easy on Rukia and to give it her all. Tayomi nodded and unsheathed her Zanpakutou. Rukia charged at her and Tayomi defended quickly, before pushing against her Zanpakutou, knocking Rukia backwards. Rukia released her Shikai and Tayomi released hers as well. Rukia's Zanpakutou was completely white, with a long ribbon attached to it. It was absolutely beautiful and she knew she was looking at the most beautiful Zanpakutou in the whole of Soul Society, Sode no Shirayuki. Tayomi's reiryoku manifested for the first time, as mini lightning bolts ejected from her body, making her look as if she was conducting and being surrounded by lightning. She could tell from Rukia and Kaien's expression that they had never seen such power before. After all, her Inazuma Kaze was the first lightning-type Zanpakuotu in Soul Society. Rukia used Hakuren against her, which Tayomi countered by sending a lightning arrow at her. The two forces competed against each other for a few moments, before Tayomi's attack overpowered Rukia's and Rukia was hit by the lightning arrow. Rukia was sent flying backwards and Tayomi immediately ran over to her.

"Are you okay?" Tayomi asked, reaching her hand out.

Rukia looked up at her for a second, before grabbing her hand and allowing Tayomi to pull her up. Kaien smiled and let Tayomi rest while he trained Rukia in Kidou. Tayomi was glad of that, knowing that if any of her spells hit Rukia, she would be badly injured. The whole point of training was not to get hurt, but to grow stronger. Rukia and Kaien trained together and Tayomi watched them silently, smiling to herself. So far, her first day at the 13th Division had been great and before she knew it, it was time to return. The 13th Division had told her that they would throw a welcome party for her, giving her the chance to get to know everyone around.

That night, the moon formed a crescent shape, reminding Tayomi of Hitsugaya's Shikai. Just then, Captain Ukitake hurried her to the garden in the Division's barracks and let the whole of the 13th Division meet their new 4th Seat. There was a whole crowd of people staring at her, causing her to blush slightly. There was a bit of murmuring going around, everyone was probably not convinced that such a small sized girl could be their 4th Seat. Captain Ukitake made them quiet down before introducing and telling his members about Tayomi, her accomplishments and her responsibilities as their 4th Seat. Once everyone heard her name and realised that their new 4th Seat was the 'Kidou prodigy' that had graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy just a few years back, they instantly kept quiet and listened to what Captain Ukitake had to say. Some simply stared at her in awe, some listened intently to Captain Ukitake while others whispered to their neighbour, probably talking about Tayomi. Once Captain Ukitake finished his short speech, Tayomi waved hello to everyone and bowed, expressing her delight to meet them and be part of the 13th Division. She sat in between Captain Ukitake and Kaien. Captain Ukitake told her that the members of the 13th Division seemed honoured to have her in their Division and assured her that they would treat her well. The 13th Division sat down under the stars, drinking tea and chatting with the moon hanging above their heads in the sky.

* * *

After the party, Tayomi went to the 10th Division to look for Hitsugaya. She hoped it was not too late and knocked on their Division's barracks. One of the 10th Division's members led her to Hitsugaya's office and left the both of them alone. Tayomi slowly pushed open the door, to see Hitsugaya sleeping on his table, after finishing a stack of paperwork. She closed the door silently and heard Hitsugaya wake up from his nap. He rubbed his eyes, still sleepy and exhausted. Tayomi pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck, smiling happily. Hitsugaya smiled his usual cold smile and ruffled her hair, asking her about her first day in her new Division. She giggled and told him it was fine. Hitsugaya motioned for her to come, holding her hand. He pulled her down slowly and let her sit on his lap, holding her by the waist. Tayomi felt slightly awkward, since she had never actually sat on his lap before. She stared down at him with a surprised look and he stared back at her.

"You'll be fine in the 13th Division, won't you?" He asked, afraid that she would be bullied due to her gentle nature and small size.

"Of course. Don't worry…" Tayomi smiled. "You thought I'd be picked on, didn't you? I'm telling you I won't… The people there are really nice! And I just realised, I feel taller…"

"That's just because you're sitting on my lap." Hitsugaya smirked.

"By the way, why the sudden idea of letting me sit here?" Tayomi asked out of curiosity.

"No reason in particular. If you don't like it, you can just get off…" Hitsugaya spoke.

"I didn't say I didn't like it…" Tayomi sighed. "I just didn't expect it at all… But I like it, though I still feel somewhat distanced from you sitting here."

Hitsugaya thought for a moment before pulling her towards his chest, letting her lean against his body and holding her.

"Is that better?" Hitsugaya asked, looking straight into her eyes.

Tayomi nodded, before yawning. She hugged him tight and let him cuddle her, closing her eyes. Hitsugaya stroked her long black hair and rested his head on hers, tightening his grip around her. She was tired after such a long day and so was he. Tayomi suddenly opened her eyes.

"I forgot to give you something today." Tayomi giggled sleepily, before quickly kissing him on his lips.

Hitsugaya smiled and kissed her back on her forehead. Tayomi snuggled against his chest and he rested his head on hers, both of them falling asleep together in his office, as the moon gently shone down at them.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Yes! I'm still alive even though there's school :D I'm slowly trying to push for 2000 words, but it's a bit hard because the real conflict hasn't started. It will soon though XD Anyways, next chapter, Hitsugaya and Tayomi get a day off! So... *hinthint* Stay tuned for the next chapter and please review! Thank you to all who reviewed, I really appreciate your comments :D


	6. Day Off

**CHAPTER 6: DAY OFF **

Tayomi woke up bright and early in the morning, as the sun glared at her, warming up her cheeks. Once her eyes sensed it was morning, they instantly opened and Tayomi sat up, stretching her arms. Today, she would have a day off to relax. Hitsugaya's day off was today as well, and the both of them had planned to spend their day off together, with Hinamori, Renji and Kira. Soul Society had recently rented a beach down in the Human World, allowing Shinigami who were on their day off to relax there. The five of them had decided to go there and spend a nice day under the sun and in the sand.

Tayomi waited at the gates for the other four. Hinamori, Kira and Renji ran over together, as they entered the same Division. Tayomi hugged Hinamori and asked them how the 5th Division was. Kira smiled and nodded, telling her that Captain Aizen and Lieutenant Ichimaru were perfectly nice to them. They congratulated her on her promotion, causing Tayomi to blush. Inside, she wondered where Hitsugaya was. It had been fifteen minutes and he was still nowhere in sight. After a few more minutes, she spotted a white-haired boy yawning and scratching his head, looking sleepy. Tayomi's face lit up and she skipped over to him, pouncing on him and hoping to wake him up. Renji laughed and the five of them open the Senkai Gate, beginning their journey towards the Human World.

While waiting for the gate to open and lead them into the Human World, the five of them quickly changed into their Gigai. Hitsugaya still looked bored though, grumbling. She pounced on him again and ruffled his hair.

"Tayomi… Remind me why we are going to beach to get burnt under the hot sun." He mumbled.

"We won't be burnt!" Tayomi giggled. "It may be hot there, but the water there is cold and most importantly, the beach is fun! It's not often that we get to have a day off, so let's enjoy it, okay?"

Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment. "Fine. I'll try."

* * *

Tayomi smiled and the Senkai gate opened. She dragged him out onto the beach. The sun was dazzling and bright, hanging high up in the pale blue sky, filled with fluffy clouds that blocked out some of the sunlight. The sunlight shone upon the water's surface, making it appear glittery and dazzling. The weather was not too hot or too cold, making it the perfect temperature for a day at the beach. The five of them went their separate ways to get changed out of their Shinigami robes. Hinamori and Tayomi held hands and skipped to the bathroom. Hinamori had brought a swimsuit for her and she wondered what it looked like. When she saw it, she gasped in shock. _How am I supposed to wear that? _She saw Hinamori smiling at her and felt bad if she were to refuse it violently. Tayomi sighed and put it on. Before she left the toilet cubicle, she tied her pink scarf around her waist. She stared down at the white halter-neck bikini that Hinamori had brought for her and blushed. Tayomi met Hinamori, who was wearing a dark green swimsuit outside the bathroom. They headed towards the beach and spotted the boys, already waiting for them.

They were all dressed in sleeveless shirts and shorts. Tayomi felt embarrassed, wearing something so revealing. For a moment, she felt like smacking Hinamori, wondering what she was up to. Hitsugaya stared at her, feeling as if Tayomi had suddenly grown up and was no longer a girl. He could not keep his eyes off her as she walked towards him, blushing a little. Even though she was still young, he realised that her body was starting to take a certain shape. Tayomi waved her hand in front of him several times before he finally stopped staring. He blushed, hoping that she did not know he was gazing at her. Tayomi blushed as well, since it was quite clear that he was taken by her and probably felt shy as he had never seen her like that before. The five of them ran over to the waters, with Tayomi literally dragging Hitsugaya over. She squealed a little as the water sent chills all over her body and hugged Hitsugaya, like a kitten attached to its owner. Just then, Renji waved at someone. Tayomi turned behind, to see a man with spiky black hair and a '69' tattooed on his face. He had three scars over his eye, leading down to his cheek. Despite his scar, he still looked handsome and attractive. She instantly recognised him as Hisagi Shuuhei, a childhood friend of hers which she had not met in ages, ever since she moved to Hikari, District 5 in Rukongai. Hisagi seemed to recognise her as well, though they had not met each other in numerous years.

"Shuu-kun?" Tayomi waved at him. Hitsugaya immediately shot a look at her, wondering who that guy was to Tayomi.

"Ah, Yomi-chan!" He picked Tayomi up and hugged her. "I see you haven't grown at all! It's nice to see you again! I haven't seen you ever since you moved to Hikari…"

Tayomi nodded and dragged Hitsugaya over, introducing her to Hisagi.

"Susu-chan, this is Hisagi Shuuhei!" She beamed excitedly.

"Hi." Hitsugaya tried to smile and Hisagi smiled back.

* * *

For the rest of the morning, the six of them swam around the sea. The tide was not strong at all and the waters were pristine and clean. Tayomi felt refreshed just swimming around and waved to Hisagi underwater. Hisagi waved back and Hitsugaya spotted them doing so from the corner of his eye. His heart burned with jealousy. He never expected Hisagi to hug Tayomi and Tayomi to be fine with it. Not having her attention irked him and he wished she would turn to him, caress him or just simply show the usual affection she showed him. He sighed, wondering what Hisagi meant to her. They seemed really close and he hoped and prayed that they were just friends, nothing more.

Soon, afternoon came. Renji cut the watermelon into half and shared one half with Hinamori and Kira. Tayomi shared the other half with Hitsugaya and Hisagi, with her sitting between the two of them. She could feel a certain air of tension coming from Hitsugaya and wondered if he felt jealous. But then again, he was not much of the jealous type, or at least he did not seem to be. Hisagi had to leave after that as he had paperwork to complete, reminding Hitsugaya that he had paperwork to do as well. After Hisagi left, Hitsugaya felt much more at ease, having Tayomi all to himself. Tayomi smiled at him and had her arms around his neck, before she poked his cheek with her finger.

"You were jealous, won't you?" She whispered in his ear.

"No." He replied bluntly, giving away the fact that he was unknowingly, as he blushed.

"Your face tells me otherwise…" She giggled, before ruffling his hair.

* * *

Soon, it was evening. The sky was beginning its transition from day into night, as a myriad of hues flashed across it. The sun set in the distance, as the five of them watched it together. It was getting colder and all of them were wearing jackets. Tayomi wore her black jacket and rested her head on Hitsugaya's shoulder, suddenly feeling serious and not wearing her usual bright smile on her face. Hitsugaya looked down at her and then at her chest. He wondered if she really should have worn a bikini, because it drew him to her more than usual. She was telling the truth at the hot spring after all. She was not flat-chested. Tayomi noticed him staring at her chest and looked down at it. She wondered what he was thinking about now and realised that he had been staring at it for quite a long time.

"Eh… Stop staring…" She blushed, causing Hinamori, Renji and Kira to look at her. As expected, she did not notice their stares.

"Staring at what?" Hitsugaya asked, blushing as well.

"At my chest…" Tayomi stared at him.

"I'm not staring." He replied coldly, his face still red.

"Yes, you are!" Tayomi laughed.

Hitsugaya looked away. _What was I doing? _Tayomi dragged him up, begging him to walk with her along the shore before they went back. Hand in hand, they strolled down the beach and stood at the shore, letting the cold water wash up their feet, crashing against their ankles and sending a tickling sensation up their legs.

"I'll give you five seconds." Tayomi turned to Hitsugaya and smiled.

"To do what?" He smiled back.

"To admit that for the past ten minutes while we were watching the sunset, you were looking at my chest."

Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment, subconsciously looking back down at her chest. Tayomi stared back at him, before laughing.

"I'll take that as a confession."

"Sorry…" Hitsugaya sighed. "I just…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Tayomi kissed him on the cheek and he kissed her back. Just then, Hinamori called for the both of them. It was the end of the day and they had to return to the Gotei 13 headquarters. Quickly changing back into their Shinigami robes, the five of them opened the Senkai gate and returned to their respective Division barracks.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**LOL that was funny :D Hitsugaya got caught in the act! At least he can go back and tend to his paperwork now. Next chapter, Hitsugaya and Tayomi get to go on a joint mission! XD YAYYYY! Stay tuned for it and please review! ^.^ Thanks! Hope you all liked this chapter. I'm glad I was able to get this up despite having school XD


	7. Joint Mission

**CHAPTER 7: JOINT MISSION**

Tayomi looked over the group of members from the 13th Division, counting heads and checking to see if everyone was present. There had been reports of hollows rampaging Rukongai, District 80, Zaraki. For the very first time, Hitsugaya and she would be going on a mission together. Captain-commander Yanamoto had given orders for the 4th Seat of the 13th Division and the 6th Seat of the 10th Division to lead a group of Shinigami from their Divisions to take out the hollows and protect the citizens. She led her group to wait outside the 10th Division. Just as they arrived, a group of Shinigami streamed out of the 10th Division's barracks, with Hitsugaya standing in front of the pack. Her heart started to beat faster, but she knew she could not as openly as she did with Hitsugaya now. After all, they were on a mission and had to be serious. Hitsugaya nodded at her and the both of them set off for Rukongai, District 80.

Rukongai District 80 was extremely far away from the Gotei 13 headquarters and walking there by foot was absolutely exhausting. In order to stop the hollows as soon as possible, they had to use a Senkai Gate to get there. The gates opened, to reveal the already run-down District reduced into rubble. There was fire burning all over, houses were crushed and reduced to mere planks of wood. Screams echoed throughout the District and cries were heard repeatedly. Tayomi and Hitsugaya immediately ordered the group to split up, save as many citizens as they could and destroy all the hollows hurting the citizens. Everyone ran off into different directions and Hitsugaya and Tayomi ended up running together, trying to track down the 'leader of the pack'. There were small-sized hollows running around already and surely there would be a giant hollow leading them all.

"It's there…" Tayomi pointed to Hitsugaya's right.

* * *

A large hollow was there, as they had expected. It was easily at least ten times their size and towering over them, as it usually did. The Adjuchas was so huge that it completely blocked out the path of the sunlight, casting a shadow over both Hitsugaya and Tayomi. It roared loudly with pleasure, sensing that it was time for a full course meal. It was extremely brutal, as it punched its fist into the ground, sending more rubble and dust flying. Tayomi and Hitsugaya used Shunpo to dodge the flying rubble. This hollow definitely meant business. It roared again and two identical hollows appeared behind Tayomi, surrounding Hitsugaya and her. Her face turned serious and her eyebrows pointed downwards, as she got ready to put up a fight. She had a feeling it was going to take both her Zanpakutou and Kidou to take all three down. Maybe it was a good chance for her to try out a technique she had never tried with Inazuma Kaze.

Both Hitsugaya and Tayomi released their Zanpakutous, fully aware of what it would cause. On their own, their spiritual energy was strong enough to affect the area around them. Together, their combined spiritual energy caused a great disturbance in the weather. The two prodigies, the ice dragon and the lightning princess, leaked their reiatsu as they glowed, noticeably in their eyes. Hitsugaya's eyes turned light turquoise, while Tayomi's eyes turned light purple, every hint of blue in her eyes disappearing. Lightning streaked across the sky and dark clouds covered the sunlight, making the area completely dark. Their comrades looked up at the sky, instantly noticing the change in weather and fully aware that their leaders had found the main targets. Hitsugaya's reiatsu had caused the dark clouds to appear, while Tayomi's was responsible for the heavy rain and lightning. Ever since her last trip into her inner world, she had grown significantly in strength. She decided to start the ball rolling and knew that Hitsugaya had the same intentions as her. _I have to take out the hollows behind me first, before dealing with the last one. Defense and offense at the same time, it's not going to be easy… Thank god for Kidou!_

"Bakudou 75, Gochutekkan!"

Tayomi used her favourite binding spell to keep the last hollow in its place. Before it managed to break out of the binding spell, Hitsugaya and she had to fight the two hollows. As far as their strategy went, they knew that they would take on one each, helping each other in defense if necessary. Tayomi decided to try the special technique she had never used before, the last technique in the book for her Shikai. Placing her palm against the black, middle blade of her Zanpakutou, she whispered.

"Hadou 88, Hiryugekizokushitenraiho!"

She swung her blade sideways, projecting the Hadou spell towards the hollow with increased strength. By using Inazuma Kaze to project Kidou spells, the spell's power would increase by three folds. However, for lightning and electricity-based Kidou spells, its power would increase by ten folds. With her Hadou 88 ten times stronger than it would be if she used her bare hands, the spell caused a massive explosion, damaging the Adjuchas. The Adjuchas was angered and roared loudly, attempting to slash at her by swiping its claw quickly. Tayomi dodged its attack instantly and slashed at it with Inazuma Kaze. Inazuma Kaze, having a sharp middle blade and two other spiked blades at the side, gave the hollow three deep wounds, causing it to bleed profusely. This hollow was not much of a trouble for her and she concluded that it was the weakest out of the three hollows. She decided to finish it off quickly, swinging her blade sideways.

"Ya*!"

A lightning arrow shot right through the hollow's mask, shattering it and causing the hollow to disintegrate. She saw Hitsugaya finish off his hollow as well, secretly smiling inside, delighted that he had gotten so strong. Just as the second hollow disintegrated, the last hollow broke out of Tayomi's binding spell. It was definitely mad and its speed had suddenly increased, attempting to strike them. She immediately used Bakudou 39, Enkosen, to defend herself as Hitsugaya went to strike back at the hollow. For some reason, Hyorinmaru was unable to slash through the hollow. Hitsugaya jumped back, surprised that his Zanpakutou was unable to cut through the Adjuchas, who was busy cackling away.

"You little midgets! That won't work…" It laughed, full of evil in its voice. "No Zanpakutou can ever cut through me… I will crush you both and have a good meal!"

"If my Zanpakutou can't do that…" Tayomi snarled. "Then I'll let my Kidou do the work."

"As if your tiny Kidou spells could hurt me! They're probably as pathetic as your size!" The hollow was enjoying itself as he mocked his opponents' heights.

"Laughing at my height is one thing… But laughing at my height and making it sound as if it's related to my strength is another!" Tayomi was starting get absolutely furious, lightning bolts ejecting from her body and enveloping her. "You are going to drop dead. NOW."

She raised her arm and pointed it at the hollow.

"You should be honoured that I'm trying this spell on you. Hadou 91, Senju Koten Taiho!"

Hitsugaya watched her fire a level 91 spell at the hollow, without incantation. She was a real prodigy at Kidou, indeed. If she was weaker at the other Shinigami Arts, Captain-commander Yanamoto would put her in the Kidou Corps for sure. He was glad that she was all-rounded and they would keep her in the Gotei 13, near him. He decided to back her up with a Kidou spell. He was not a prodigy in Kidou, but he was proficient in it.

"Hadou 58, Tenran!"

He fired the spell at the hollow, destroying it. The skies cleared again and the weather returned to normal. The sun popped out behind the clouds again and everything was fine. Tayomi took out her communicator and sent a report to Captain Ukitake, telling him that the mission was completed and to send members of the Gotei 13 to rebuild District 80, Zaraki. She opened the Senkai gate and together with Hitsugaya and their team, returned to Soul Society.

* * *

At night, Hitsugaya and Tayomi lay on the soft grass together, gazing at the stars. She sighed in content, satisfied with her performance today. Yawning, she was well aware that she was exhausted and felt sleepy. Turning on her side to face Hitsugaya, she smiled at him and he turned on his side as well, facing her.

"You were great during today's mission. It's not often I get to see you as serious as I am." He sighed.

"Thanks…" Tayomi blushed. "You were great too… I hope we get more missions together."

With that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep on the soft grass. Hitsugaya watched her sleep, before moving closer to her and stroking her hair. He kissed her goodnight, on her pink cheeks, before falling asleep himself, with his arm still around her, protecting her from harm.

* * *

**Translation:  
***Ya: Arrow

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Yay! I hope you all liked this chapter. Going on joint missions can be fun :D We are 3 chapters away from the major MAJOR CONFLICT! It's a half-yay and half-boo...  
Next chapter, it's time for a recruitment, and they're both going to have fun trying to let the Shinigami Academy's graduates see how nice their Division is! Stay tuned and please review! ^.^ Thanks!


	8. Recruitment Drive

**CHAPTER 8: RECRUITMENT DRIVE**

Tayomi stared at the drawing shoved up in her face. It was Rukia's proposal for the recruitment drive's brochure. Being the 4th Seat, she had been put in charge of publicity for the 13th Division. Their Division was relatively popular as their Captain was a disciple of Captain-commander Yanamoto and many graduates would be interested in their Division. Nevertheless, Tayomi intended to increase their popularity even more. Under Captain Ukitake's orders, she was to handle all sorts of things, like posters and brochures. In addition, she was helping out 3rd Seat Miyako and Lieutenant Kaien with logistics, assisting them and dividing their Division into groups to bring the Spiritual Arts Academy's graduates around, as well as providing them with information about the 13th Division.

Rukia had decorated the cover with bunnies, her favourite Chappy. Captain Ukitake, Lieutenant Kaien, 3rd Seat Miyako and her had been turned into bunnies. Bunny Ukitake was wearing the Captain's haori and looked a little hilarious, but it was rather adorable. She had received worse entries, like a group of Shinigami fighting or a candid picture of Captain Ukitake on the cover. Though Rukia's drawing was strange, her entry was definitely much better compared to the other entries she received. Tayomi nodded happily and told Rukia that she would use her drawing. Rukia's face lit up with a smile and she bounced out of Tayomi's office excitedly, telling her that she would draw more brochures and pass them to her three days before the recruitment drive. Tayomi sighed and returned to her paperwork. Now that the brochures were sort of settled, she had to decide on the information to include in it, as well as the posters. 3rd Seat Miyako had helped her settle the drawings on the posters and they would be writing the brochures together, along with Kaien. The week ahead was sure to be packed. She expected herself to be working through the night these few days and wondered if she would have time to meet Hitsugaya. She continued drafting out the brochure's contents and the poster's caption. Just then, she heard someone knock on the door and told whoever it was that they could enter. She looked up and saw a white-haired boy enter her office. Her heartbeat immediately picked up in speed as she rushed forward to greet him.

"SUSU-CHAN!"

She threw her arms around him and hugged him excitedly, sending both of them to the floor. Tayomi could not stop giggling, as they had not seen each other in days. The recruitment drive had kept them so busy that they had met less often. She had not spoken to him in days and missed him dearly. Smiling, she ran her fingers through his hair and laughed happily as she did so. Hitsugaya stared at her blankly for a moment, considering the possibility that she had gone insane, before he smiled as well. He had not seen her face for days and had finished his work quickly in order to look for her. Placing his arms around the waist, with both of them still lying on the floor and Tayomi on top of him, he pushed her head towards his face, kissing her on the lips. Tayomi was surprised, her eyes wide in shock, never expecting him to do that. She stayed there, stunned for a moment before giggling again. She rested her head beside his, over Hitsugaya's shoulder. Suddenly, she realised that she was practically sniffing the floor.

"The floor smells strange." She gasped.

"No one told you to smell it…" Hitsugaya sighed.

"No… But you see, in this position, when I breathe, it's equivalent to sniffing the floor…"

"… You can be so dumb sometimes."

Tayomi got up immediately, followed by Hitsugaya. "Thanks… I know that."

"You aren't mad, are you?" Hitsugaya was worried that she was offended.

"No, of course not! I need to continue doing work now…" Tayomi smiled and walked him out of the door. "So… Bye bye!"

As he watched her return to her Division's barracks, he smiled. _Yeah, she can be really dumb sometimes…_

* * *

At last, the day for the recruitment drive came. After rushing through everything and furiously writing the brochures for three days and three nights, everything was ready. Tayomi, Miyako and Kaien had worked very hard for that day. The Gotei 13's headquarters were bustling with people, both Shinigami and fresh graduates from the Spiritual Arts Academy. Tayomi smiled as she recounted the time when she was one of them, happily dragging Hitsugaya around to take a look at all 13 Divisions, before she made up her mind to join the 4th Division. She looked at their excited faces, bright and full of life. As she had expected, many of them had visited the 13th Division, excited to see Captain Ukitake. Lieutenant Kaien had some supporters as well, many graduates had come to see the Division that the prodigy had joined and wanted to meet him in person. Unexpectedly, she had a few fans visiting the 13th Division's barracks and looking around, wanting to meet the Kidou prodigy that Soul Society had been blessed with. When she came out, she heard a few girls squeal and some boys gasp, before running up to her and bombarding her with questions about the 13th Division. She simply smiled and answered all of their burning questions.

"How is life in the 13th Division?" A girl asked her.

"It's fun… We get sent on missions and protect the inhabitants of Rukongai, protect towns… It's a fulfilling job."

"How's the atmosphere in the 13th Division?"

"It's really nice," Tayomi laughed. "Everyone around here is really friendly and willing to help. Captain Ukitake and Lieutenant Kaien always look after their comrades. The atmosphere around here is warm and everyone is really close."

"Is the 13th Division looking for a certain type of recruit to join? Like for the 11th Division, they seek strong fighters…" A boy asked her.

"No… As long as you're going to serve Soul Society with a willing and honest heart, taking it upon you to protect those you want to protect, you will definitely be welcome to join our Division!"

The eager graduates smiled happily and thanked her. Tayomi gave a sigh of satisfaction, glad that the day was almost over. So far, the whole day had gone smoothly, without a slip. The recruitment drive had proceeded flawlessly, with many graduates entering the Division's barracks, full of vigour and curiosity. The members of the 13th Division answered their questions, introducing the seated Shingami of their Division. The graduates seemed happy, their eyes burning with life. They were all in awe of Captain Ukitake, Kaien and Miyako. Before she knew it, the sun was getting prepared to set and all the graduates left the Gotei 13 headquarters, having the Division they intended to join in mind. The 13th Division cleaned up and returned their Division's barracks back to its original appearance, the atmosphere full of warmth again. The 13th Division had increased in popularity this year and Captain Ukitake was happy to see so many graduates interested in his Division. He praised his Division on a job well-done and like the other Captains, let their Division take a break for the rest of the night. Tayomi was exhausted, but still decided to visit Hitsugaya. She took a short walk down to the 10th Division barracks and walked into his office. She saw him clearing his desk, putting aside all his paperwork and grabbing his Zanpakutou, about to leave. He headed for the door and saw her, already in his office. The both of them walked out of the 10th Division's barracks, holding hands once they were out of the door.

* * *

They sat on the tree in the Gotei 13's garden, after a bit of trouble climbing up. Hitsugaya had to pull her up the tree branch and they sat together, sharing bits of their experiences in the recruitment drive. Both of them blushed when they realised that they both had fans coming to their Divisions' barracks to search them out. Tayomi wrapped her arm around Hitsugaya's arm, leaning on his shoulder.

"Were most of them boys?" Hitsugaya asked, aware of the fact that most Shinigami were male.

"Yeah…" Tayomi nodded.

"Did they try anything funny with you?"

"Hm…" Tayomi grinned. "If I said yes, what would you do?"

"Beat them up." Hitsugaya spoke seriously, making her laugh.

"No one did that… Of course they wouldn't dare to provoke me!" Tayomi giggled. "Your response was really cute though…"

Hitsugaya looked at her seriously for a brief moment, before speaking. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Tayomi blinked at him, clearly touched by his words. She tightened her grip around his arm, closing her eyes.

"I won't let anyone hurt you either…" She smiled.

Realising that it was late and Tayomi was ridden with fatigue, Hitsugaya decided to call it a day and they both hopped down onto the ground. He had his arm around her on the cold night, walking her all the way back to her Division's barracks. After kissing her goodnight and watching her walk into her Division's barracks, he turned and headed towards his Division's barracks for a good night's rest, smiling to himself.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY :D I had no idea what else they could possibly do on a recruitment drive, honestly XD I hope you all liked this chapter! Next chapter, Tayomi gets a shocking piece of news, which is both good and bad... Stay tuned to find out and please continue reviewing! ^.^ Thanks!


	9. Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know

**CHAPTER 9: DON'T LET ME BE THE LAST TO KNOW**

It had been ages since she had last went on an assignment. Tayomi was absolutely itching to go on a mission, but there were none for her. For the past few days, the Gotei 13's headquarters were extremely peaceful, free of panic. Rukongai was tranquil, without any attacks from hollows or other strange spirits. In short, everything was fine and nothing was wrong. Tayomi felt strange as she usually went on missions at least thrice a week and this week, she had not gone on a single mission at all. Though peace was good, life had been dull these few days and she was hoping for a bit of excitement to spice up her boring day. Just then, 3rd Seat Miyako informed her that Captain Ukitake wanted to see her in his office. Tayomi instantly stood up, walking to his office, wondering whether it was concerning a mission.

She knocked on Captain Ukitake's door, cautiously opening it. Tayomi looked at the man who discovered her Shinigami powers and recommended that she enrol in the Spiritual Arts Academy. Even though it had been eleven years since they first met, Captain Ukitake still had a warm smile on his face and looked at her the same way he did eleven years ago. She was well aware that he treated her like a daughter and she treated him like her mentor. Although she wished that he treated her less like a child, but she was used to it and she liked feeling loved, since she was deprived of it ever since her parents died and led a childhood without much love.

"Tayomi-chan! Do you know why you're here?" Captain Ukitake beamed.

"No…" Tayomi shook her head.

"I have good news for you! Recently, Captain-commander Yanamoto had decided to start a special training program for Shinigami… It'll take place in the Human World and we Captains were expected to choose only one member from our Division to take part in this special program." Captain Ukitake explained excitedly. "The training program will strengthen your skills as a Shinigami greatly and it'll give you a chance to learn more about the Human World. You will be expected to report to us daily on your analysis of the Human World. So, I just want you to know that I've recommended you to represent our Division and join this program! Even Captain Aizen agreed that you should go for it…"

"Really?" Tayomi exclaimed. "Wait… So you recommended me for this program and Captain Aizen recommended me as well… Sort of?"

"Yes!" Captain Ukitake nodded. "Isn't it great? You'll finally be able to push your potential to the limit! I'm not sure how long it is though… Captain-commander Yanamoto said it might take a few months, maybe even years… It depends on the situation in the Human World."

_A few months… Maybe even… YEARS?_

* * *

Once Tayomi left Captain Ukitake's office, she was greeted by many of her fellow members of the 13th Division, congratulating her one by one. She had been given such a great opportunity to push her limits and become stronger than she already was. It was such a rare chance for her and she knew that she should be squealing excitedly out of the door, but inside, she felt the complete opposite. Sure, she was honoured to receive such a chance, but she was aware of what it meant. Captain Ukitake's words rang in her ears incessantly. It was going to take months, maybe even years. The more she thought about, the more upset she felt. She moped all the way back to her office, as her comrades stared at her in surprise. They had expected to see her practically bounce off the wall with happiness, but they had just seen her drag her feet, as if she was not a bit delighted. Tayomi locked the door and sat on her chair, before resting her head on her desk, trying to contain her emotions. Just then, her communicator vibrated and she checked it. It was a message from Kiseida, telling her that she was involved in the special program too, representing the 8th Division. Tayomi smiled a little, replying her best friend that she was representing her Division as well. Kiseida would be going with her and she felt a bit better, but the sadness was still present in her heart. In a week's time, she was not going to see her friends for a long time. She was not going to see him for a long time. The fact that she would not be able to see him everyday killed her.

She decided to get it off her chest and told Hinamori to meet her outside the 5th Division's barracks. Once she got to the 5th Division's barracks, she spotted Hinamori waiting for her outside. Hinamori's face was full of concern as Tayomi hardly sounded so serious. Usually, her messages were spammed with smiley faces, but this time, there were none. Hinamori ran over to her junior, asking her what's wrong. Holding her tears back, Tayomi told Hinamori everything that had happened, including the fact that she was chosen for the special training program. Hinamori smiled, congratulating her and asked her why she sounded so sad about it. Tayomi kept silent for a while and Hinamori thought for a moment, before realising exactly what was holding Tayomi back.

"Is it Shiro-chan?" Hinamori asked.

Tayomi nodded. "I don't know how I'm going to tell him…"

"Well…" Hinamori sighed. "You have to tell him yourself. He wouldn't be happy if someone else told him, rather than you. Just tell him everything you feel, alright?"

"Okay… I'll try…"

Tayomi dragged her feet back to her Division's barracks. Hinamori watched her mope back, like a zombie. She felt worried and concerned. Tayomi had never been like this before. Usually, Tayomi was bouncing off the ground with excitement, always hyped up and cheerful. Today, she was the complete opposite, filled with anything but life and energy. It was as if her strength was sucked out from her body. Tayomi sighed and looked down at her feet, walking all the way back to her office. She lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering how to begin. Somehow, she had to get the words out of her mouth and tell him that she was leaving. She was afraid of his response. Would he be angry? Would he never want to speak to her again? She knew she had to tell him and no matter what was going to happen, she could only keep her fingers crossed and hope he wouldn't be angry. She quickly texted him, telling him to meet her under the tree where they usually met at night.

* * *

Hitsugaya waited for a few minutes, before Tayomi finally arrived. Tayomi was trying very hard to act as if nothing was wrong, skipping towards him and forcing a smile on her face. He seemed to know that something was wrong, Tayomi never skipped with such little energy and her smile appeared to be fake. Sighing, he asked her for the reason behind their meeting. Inside, his heart was beating quickly. Was Tayomi about to reject him or scold him? He waited for her to speak.

"Tayomi, what's wrong?" Hitsugaya asked.

Tayomi was completely silent. She tried to speak, she tried to tell him everything, about how she was chosen for the program and how she knew that he was not, about how much she would miss him and how she hated being separated from him for so long. Instead of words coming out of her mouth, tears flowed out from her eyes. With her head bowed down, she began to shiver, sobbing uncontrollably. She began to cry profusely as her tears trickled down her cheeks with speed, falling onto the grass below and making soft noises, like rain hitting the ground. Suddenly, it really began to rain and lightning streaked across the sky. Hitsugaya and Tayomi stood in the rain, with her crying till she could not speak. Hitsugaya quickly held her in his arms, stroking her hair and letting her bury her face in his chest.

"Tayomi…What happened?" He asked.

"I… I…" Tayomi sobbed. "T-that special t-train-n-ning p-program… I g-got s-selected…"

"That's good… Then what are you crying for?"

"B-because I d-don't w-want to g-go… It's g-going t-t-to take m-months… M-may-b-be e-even y-y-years… I c-can't d-do w-with-th-out y-you… A-are y-y-you an-g-gry?"

"Silly girl, I'm not angry…" Hitsugaya sighed. "But you have to go… It's good for you. It's such a rare chance that not even I got…"

"I-I kn-know…B-b-but I-I-I'll m-m-miss y-you…"

"I'll miss you too…" Hitsugaya continued, stroking her hair.

"S-s-susu-c-c-chan…W-w-will y-you f-forget me?"

Hitsugaya shook his head.

"I love you." She whispered, after she had finally calmed down.

"I love you too…"

Hitsugaya whispered back into her ear, before kissing her on her lips passionately, pressing her lips against his. He could feel the rain falling on them, but it did not matter. He slowly backed away, his nose still touching hers. Holding her tightly, his arms still around her, he kissed her again on her forehead.

"Promise me something…" He spoke softly. "No matter how long it takes, how hard it gets… Come back to me…"

Tayomi looked up at him, tears still on her face.

"After you're done with the whole special training program, please… Come back to me… I'll be waiting for you always…"

Tayomi nodded and the both of them continued standing in the rain, holding each other for the last time before she left.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Well... So they're going to be separated for quite a while T.T  
Next chapter is going to be rough... We are finally at chapter 10 and you'll find out what the main conflict is! Something will happen and it's going to affect both Tayomi and Hitsugaya, causing them both sadness for a very long period of time. Stay tuned for the next chapter and please keep reviewing! Thanks! ^.^


	10. Goodbyes and Greeting the Tragedy

**CHAPTER 10: GOODBYES AND GREETING THE TRAGEDY**

It was the night before Tayomi left and Hitsugaya had decided to spend one last day with her. She had bid farewell to everyone she knew, except for him. He patiently waited for her under the tree and spotted a tiny figure walking towards him. It was obvious that she was still a bit upset, dragging her feet as she walked and a forced smile on her face. Tayomi was leaving early in the morning the next day and this would be their last night together. He walked forward nervously, before hugging her tight. Tayomi rested her head on his shoulder. They both knew that the promise that they made on the night of their graduation still stood and they would never let each other go, they would never forget each other.

That promise comforted Tayomi a little, but its effect was temporary. For months, maybe even years, she was not going to see him. She looked up into his eyes and he gazed back into hers. Hitsugaya patted her head, feeling as sad as she was inside. They were going to be separated for a long time and he hoped she could be strong. She could crumble easily and that worried him greatly. They sat under the tree and looked up at the stars together for the last time. The stars seemed to understand their situation and all came out to dance in the night sky. Tayomi sighed with a hint of content in her voice and they officially renewed their promise again. They promised to await her return and never forget each other. Soon, it was getting very late and Hitsugaya stood up, about to leave. Just then, Tayomi pulled on his arm and looked at him with puppy eyes.

"Don't go…" She spoke meekly.

Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment, before sitting back down and kissing her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. Tayomi closed her eyes, letting the silence of the night and his breathing sing her to sleep. He looked at Tayomi and put his arm around her, before resting his head on top of hers and falling asleep as well. The two of them fell asleep together under the tree, through the night.

When Hitsugaya awoke, he realised that Tayomi was gone. The sun was shining brightly in his face, signifying that Tayomi had left for the Human World. He sighed and walked back to his Division's barracks, realising that each day would never be good without her around and began to miss her. He tried to comfort himself, telling himself it was for the best and tried to be happy for her. Checking his communicator, he saw a new message that Tayomi had sent him a few minutes ago.

"Remember your promise! Work hard and achieve Bankai! Maybe by the time I'm back, you'd be wearing the Captain's haori… Bye bye Susu-chan, I love you!"

* * *

Tayomi gathered with eleven other people in the Human World. After passing through the Senkai gate, they had finally arrived in the world of the living. Everything was so different from Soul Society. The atmosphere seemed much more vibrant as the streets were crowded with all sorts of people. Shops were found on every corner of the street and everyone was smiling happily. She smiled at Kiseida, excited about the new experience she was going to have. The group split up, analysing each part of the town and looking out for hollows at the same time. There were sightings of hollows often in this town and it was part of the program, aiming to strengthen them. Tayomi and Kiseida hopped from tower to tower, surveying the area. So far, there had been no hollows in sight. An hour later, the group gathered on the roof and decided to set up their camp here. The sky was getting dark and the sun was setting. The group quickly set up their camp, had their dinner and sent their reports to Soul Society, before turning in.

The night was peaceful with only crickets chirping, but Tayomi remained awake. As the memories in Soul Society flashed through her mind, Hitsugaya's face somehow surfaced and she started to miss him. All of a sudden, her ears picked up footsteps coming towards them. She got up, clutching her Zanpakutou, wondering what it was. Just as she stepped out of the tent, a katana flashed in front of her, barely missing her head by a few centimetres. She looked to her right and saw a group of people, all dressed in black, wearing the same uniform as Soul Society's Secret Mobile Corps. Her eyes shot wide open and she screamed.

"Everyone… WAKE UP!"

She heard her group shuffle and get up, wondering what was going on. The attackers ripped open the tent and she saw the rest of her group members grab their Zanpakutous, preparing for battle. One of the attackers lunged at her and Tayomi quickly defended herself, their blades causing a loud crash. She could not believe she was dealing with someone from the Secret Mobile Corps. They were fast and relied mainly on their fists, so Tayomi knew instantly that if she were to use Kidou, she stood a high chance of being killed. She instantly decided against using Kidou, unless absolutely necessary and she was able to buy time. Her attacker immediately kept his Zanpakutou and charged forward towards her, pressing his palm against her Zanpakutou with brute force. Tayomi's expression turned very serious. _What is happening right now? And this guy… He's really strong! I have to be careful…_

"Ikimaku, Inazuma Kaze!"

She released Inazuma Kaze immediately, fighting her opponent full out at her full strength. After a few tries, she managed to land a hit on her attacker's arm, but he was not ready to give up. Catching her off-guard, he struck a blow against her chest, sending her flying backwards and crashing into a wall. Tayomi's body ached all over and she could feel blood trickling down the side of her face. In a flash, her opponent struck her in the stomach, causing her to spit out blood in his face instantly. She could feel her innards being crushed and her body was in a bad state. Moving was going to be difficult, but she had to do it. She stuffed her palm in her attacker's chest, using Hadou 31, Shakkaho, against him. Her attacker was sent flying backwards and Tayomi used that time to get up and survey the area. She turned right and left wildly, watching her comrades die right before her eyes. Only three out of her eleven group members were still alive. She could see Kiseida struggling with her opponent and Tayomi needed to finish her opponent off quickly. Waving her Zanpakutou sideways, she sent a lightning arrow flying at him. The arrow moved at the speed of lightning, nicely hitting her opponent's chest, ultimately killing him off. There were still ten attackers left. Tayomi panicked and tried to calm herself down. Struggling with her injuries, she fought off as many as she could, alongside Kiseida. Kiseida had released her Zanpakutou as well, sending a wave of fire towards the attackers.

Only two of their attackers were caught in the blaze and burned to death. They had eight more to go. Nodding at each other, they decided to take on four each, having complete faith in each other. Tayomi knew what Kiseida was capable of and trusted her, promising they would both stay alive. Tayomi ran off to another dilapidated building and fought the attackers there, sending lightning darts rapidly at them. She only managed to hit one of them and wished she had her Bankai. Tayomi and Hitsugaya had been training for about thirty years now. She was not sure about his progress, but she knew that she was very close to achieving Bankai. The three attackers dashed towards her, kicking her in the head and she was knocked backwards, against a sharp metal pole which stabbed through her shoulder. Tayomi screamed in pain, gripping her shoulder as blood rushed out of her wound. She had had enough. Sending more lightning arrows at them to buy time, she raised her arm and fired Hadou 63, Soren Sokatsui, taking out two of her attackers. Looking at her last opponent, she caught her breath and decided to speak.

"You… Who sent all of you?" Tayomi asked, trying to gasp for breath.

"AS."

"I know you dragged your butts here to get us…I'm asking you now and you'd better answer me. WHO SENT YOU?"

"A.S."

"Forget it. Die. NOW."

Using the last of her energy, she fired Hadou 63, Raikoho, at her attacker, finishing him off. With the little energy she had left, she dashed towards Kiseida. Kiseida had finished her fight as well, but was badly injured, just like her. She smiled at Tayomi, before passing out.

"KISEIDA! KISEIDA!"

Tayomi felt her knees buckle and fell to the ground. She looked at Kiseida, who lay opposite her. She turned her head and looked at the mass of bodies around her, belonging to the attackers and her comrades. Besides Kiseida and her, everyone had been brutally slaughtered. It was no different from a massacre. Clenching her fists, she was determined to find out who had done it. Taking out her communicator, she tried to contact Soul Society, but was put on hold. Looking around, she saw her dead comrades with their communicators in their hands. The connection line was jammed and her communicator was directed to their voicemail. Tayomi switched 'video mode' on and tried to speak.

"Someone…attacked us… Help…"

She gasped for breath and felt her blood pouring out onto the ground, before finally closing her eyes and losing consciousness.

* * *

Hinamori dragged Hitsugaya to the 12th Division's barracks frantically, tears welling up in her eyes. He spotted Kira, Renji and Captain Ukitake there, looking all dumbstruck and ready to crumble. Kira looked at Hitsugaya with a solemn expression.

"Hitsugaya-kun, I think you should see this for yourself…"

Hitsugaya's eyes grew wide, his heart beating wildly. A member of the 12th Division, Akon, played back the ten videos they had received, which jammed up their connection line all at once. The first nine videos were all the same, showing the surroundings of their camp, completely destroyed and everyone lying on the floor in a pool of blood. His eyes grew wide with shock. Why were they showing him this? What was happening? Why was everyone… dead? Akon paused the playback right before the last video, looking at the five of them. Renji put his arm around Hitsugaya, telling him to be prepared for what he was about to see. Hitsugaya held his breath, as Akon played the final video.

"Someone… attacked us… Help…"

It was Tayomi. Half her face was stained with blood and her shoulder had blood pouring out of it. She was gasping for breath desperately and struggling to speak. Her eyes were devoid of the life and vigour it usually had. After she spoke, her head fell to the ground and she closed her eyes, losing consciousness. After a few seconds of seeing her lie on the ground, bleeding profusely, the video stopped and the screen blurred out. Hinamori, Renji, Kira and Captain Ukitake all looked at Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya could not believe his eyes. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, ready to overflow and fall down his cheeks. He dropped to his knees and screamed, his heart burning with pain. _Why didn't I selfishly hold her back? If I had done that, this would never have happened…_

"Shiro-chan, I know this hurts…" Hinamori said, crying as well. "But it's likely that Yomi-chan is dead…"

"I'd hate to believe it as well… But she's right…" Kira sighed, tears trickling down his face as well. "Captain-commander Yanamoto is greatly pained by this matter and has assumed that they are all dead… We are to believe that everyone in that group died…"

"Believe what you want…" Hitsugaya shivered, as his tears hit the ground. "She's not dead. I know she isn't."

"Hitsugaya-kun…" Renji put his arm on Hitsugaya's shoulder and Captain Ukitake did the same.

"I don't care. I know she's not dead. She promised me…" Hitsugaya sobbed. "She promised me that no matter how long it took, how hard things got, she'd come back to me. Tayomi won't break her promises… I know she'll keep fighting to live."

Captain Ukitake looked at Hitsugaya, his eyes full of sorrow upon losing the young girl he treated as his daughter.

"I don't care how long it takes…" Hitsugaya spoke. "I don't care what they think… I don't care what you think… Tayomi isn't dead… I don't give a damn about what you all say… Tayomi will come back to me one day… She'll run towards me with that beautiful smile of hers and let me hold her tight… She'll come back… And I'll be waiting for her…"

Hitsugaya got up and wiped away his tears. Her last words to him rang in his ears. _Remember your promise! Work hard and achieve Bankai! Maybe by the time I'm back, you'd be wearing the Captain's haori… Bye bye Susu-chan, I love you! _Bankai… He would achieve Bankai and make sure he had done so by the time she returned. Gripping his Zanpakutou, he headed back to his office immediately. As he walked, his mind filled with thoughts of her and the memories they had together, from the first time they met to the last time they kissed.

_Tayomi… I love you too… You'd better return quickly and see me and my Bankai. I'll be waiting for you, always…  
_

**

* * *

**

Author's Note:

This chapter was really painful to write... I nearly cried just writing it and could feel my tears about to come out and spill over T.T Probably one of the saddest chapters I've ever written in the "Frostbitten Lightning" Saga... Even the sad ones in "Bleach: School Days & Frostbitten Lightning" wasn't that bad.  
So that was the main conflict... Just what exactly happened to Tayomi? And what's Hitsugaya going to do? Find out in the next chapter :) Please keep reviewing! Thanks! ^.^ (I have less smileys in this A/N because I'm all emotional after writing this chapter...Sorry...)


	11. The Saviour and the Lovers' Despair

**CHAPTER 11: THE SAVIOUR AND THE LOVERS' DESPAIR**

Tayomi opened her eyes and cringed, as she felt pain overtake her body. She saw Kiseida lying beside her and a girl with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes standing in front of her. The girl wore a sleeveless black silk top and loose pants of the same material, with a crimson sash tied around her waist and a black cloak around her like that of a grim reaper. She wore fingerless gloves that were reinforced by what Tayomi assumed to be an indestructible metal, hidden below the gloves themselves. Tayomi stared up at the mysterious girl, blinking at her.

"Who are you?" Tayomi asked, her voice still weak after sustaining such serious injuries.

"I… Um… You can call me Jean." The girl spoke.

Tayomi looked down at Kiseida, before noticing that they were both bandaged up and actually breathing air. "Did you save us?"

"Yep, who are you? What were you Shinigami doing in this realm? Who attacked you and why did they attack you?"

Tayomi blinked. This girl sure was curious, but it would not hurt to tell her. Though she was a stranger to her, Tayomi spilled out every single detail of what had happened, from the special training program to how they were attacked and how their group members were massacred. Jean listened intently, nodding as Tayomi told her everything that had happened. After she managed to explain the whole chain of events, she bowed down to Jean, thanking her for saving them.

Jean frowned, which was somehow noticeable despite the fact that the cloak mostly hid her face, she was obviously a spirit as well though she gave off a very faint sense of spirit pressure, almost nothing at all. It blended into the environment, making it hard to know her exactly. "Oh! So that's what happened," she blinked, moving over with blurring speed to give Tayomi a hug. "I'm sorry for the loss of your friends, do you need your wounds treated?"

Tayomi shook her head, knowing that she would feel bad if she asked for more. After all, Jean had saved them and healed them to the bare minimum, snatching Kiseida and her from the hands of death. That alone, was already enough and more than she had asked for. Tayomi smiled at Jean, confident that they would share a close relationship. However, giving Jean a nickname proved to be hard, as she racked her brains, unable to come up with a good nickname. Tayomi sighed and hugged Jean, thanking her profusely. Just hugging her back, Jean would smile and brush off her thanks as just something that any decent person would have done, wondering if this was why it had been said that she might never be a good soul reaper - her heart was too good to make the choices at times that were needed to maintain the balance of spirits. Now she could only smile sadly as she nodded and looked over to Kiseida who was still unmoving.

"I... do have something to ask in return," she admitted, removing the hood of the cloak for a moment as she seemed far too young to be a shinigami. "I don't know if you'll agree, but..."

Tayomi looked at Jean with sincere eyes. "But?"

"... Soul Society can't know that I exist, I'm too powerful a Shinigami to them and I don't want to be under their control."

Tayomi stared at Jean. Here she was, looking at a Shinigami who did not want to be recognised as a Shinigami by Soul Society. Tayomi sighed and agreed, swearing that she would never let out Jean's secret. Keeping her little secret was probably the least she could do anyway. Just then, Kiseida moved and Tayomi rushed to her side, holding Kiseida's hand as Kiseida opened her eyes to see her best friend in front of her. She smiled at Kiseida and giggled. It was great that they were both alive, but she suddenly realised that things had gotten so complicated. They were both well-aware that their reiatsu had been completely drained and it would take a long time for it to be restored. On top of that, they were severely injured and could not open the Senkai Gate, in order to return to Soul Society. Before she passed out, she had sent an S.O.S to Soul Society and judging by their style, they were probably assumed to be dead. Tayomi thought hard and cringed. How were they to return? Who was the mysterious man who sent assassins after them and massacred the whole group under the special training program? Most importantly, what about Hitsugaya? Had he given up on her and thought she was dead as well? Tayomi threw herself back onto the bed, thoughts running through her mind like wild horses and overcrowding her brain. She knew that the only solution was time. In time, they would heal slowly and restore their reiatsu to its fullest. Then, they could return to Soul Society. Tayomi felt her pockets, wondering where her communicator was. _Darn… It's probably gone. I have no idea where I am, nor do I recognise the place where the attack took place. I'm going to have to wait, because there's nothing else I can do right now…_

"What should I do now…?" Tayomi whispered to herself.

Jean hesitated and bowed slightly, watching Tayomi run to Kiseida's side and pulling her cloak back over her head again, hiding her face. She knew that the Shinigami were likely going to be interrogated on their survival and without a doubt, she would be discovered sooner or later, it was best that she let Tayomi think that there was little chance of being able to return. They were still unaware of her abilites as a Shinigami and what she knew, even though she knew that it was not likely that they would be able to pose any threat to her, it was best to just keep them hidden for now.

"... Train," she replied softly, hearing Tayomi speak. "The more something is broken down, the stronger it builds itself back up. Learn your surroundings and... Um... I'm sure you know this already."

Tayomi knew she was right. She took out her Zanpakutou and hugged it, falling back to sleep. She was going to meet Inazuma Kaze and speak to her. Maybe by the time she got back, she would achieve Bankai and give Hitsugaya a surprise. However, she did not feel like training. Once she lay on the bed, she was reminded of Hitsugaya. She remembered how he let her sit on his lap and fell asleep with him on his chair. She remembered how they kissed in the rain, a few nights before her departure. She remembered how they spent their birthdays together and how he tried to kiss her, but failed to, as she fell off the railing. She could still feel his lips burning on hers and shut her eyes tightly, as memories of him flashed across her mind. She gripped the sheets of the blanket and tried to stop herself from crying. _Susu-chan… I want to be with you so much right now…_

She fell asleep, much to Jean's relief, the young Shinigami turning away to let the two injured Shinigami rest. She moved away, phasing through a wall, knowing that she was not needed for the moment.

* * *

Hitsugaya gripped his Zanpakutou and strapped it back onto his back. He had made considerable progress today. He looked down at the sash holding his Zanpakutou, the sash that Tayomi had made for him for his birthday. Hinamori, Renji and Kira watched Hitsugaya walk back to the 10th Division's barracks, feeling nothing but worry. Ever since Tayomi's death, Hitsugaya hardly spoke and avoided everyone, keeping to himself. He had been training incessantly in the hope of achieving Bankai, wanting to have his Bankai before Tayomi returned. It had been days since that tragedy took place and Hitsugaya had become more and more withdrawn with each passing day. He never smiled, hearing him speak was rare and he was hardly spotted outside the office. Hinamori looked at Renji and Kira. It was clear to everyone that Hitsugaya was not alright and probably would not be, even after a long period of time. After all, Tayomi was his first and only love. She was irreplaceable in his heart and they spent so many happy moments together, practically joined at the hip. They promised each other to stay alive and Hitsugaya fiercely believed her, knowing that she was somewhere out there, trying her best to make her way back to him.

He entered his office and sat down on his chair, sighing. He rested his head on his table for a few minutes, before looking. Tayomi was there, in front of him, smiling. She waved at him and patted his head, before running behind him to hug him and kiss him on the cheek. Hitsugaya smiled and felt her lips burning on his cheek, sending a wave of elation through his body. Just as he reached out to hold her, he fell off his chair and onto the floor. He stared up at the ceiling and Tayomi appeared in front of him again. She smiled at him, before bending down to kiss him on his lips. Hitsugaya tried to hold her again and stroke her hair, but he felt nothing but air. Just then, Hinamori, Renji and Kira all walked into his office and saw him lying on the floor.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" Kira cried. "Are you alright?"

Hitsugaya felt tears streaming down his face uncontrollably and covered his face with his arms. His heart ached as images of Tayomi continued surfacing in his mind, reminding him of the fact that she was not around to comfort him and hold him in her arms, or cuddle him and bury her face in his chest. He refused to believe she was dead and hated how much everyone insisted, accepted and told him she was dead. Tayomi was not dead. Her heart was still beating, somewhere out there. She would come back to him. She said she would. The video of her bloody face and her shoulder punctured by a stab wound… The sound of her desperately trying to catch her breath… The words she spoke, struggling to make her gentle, warm voice heard… Even if it was the last memory of her he had, he refused to believe that it was the last memory he had of her for the rest of his life. No, it was not their last memory. They would have many happy memories together, once she came back and returned to him, throwing herself into his embrace.

"Tayomi…" He sobbed. "Tayomi…"

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Introduction of a new character... JEAN! :D Jean is an OC created by my extremely close & talented friend, JazionKeera. She writes awesome stories, so go check her stories out sometime :) I wrote the dialogue between Tayomi and Jean together with her, with myself playing Tayomi and her playing Jean XD  
Anyways, Hitsugaya and Tayomi are both in despair right now, without each other. Hitsugaya still firmly believes that she isn't dead (I call it the power of LOVE!). Next chapter, Tayomi and Kiseida are up and they explore the streets in their Gigai, and live their lives as normal people until their reiatsu comes back. Hitsugaya won't play a very major role in the next few chapters, so he won't be seen very much and the focus is more on Tayomi. Stay tuned for the next chapter and please keep reviewing! Thanks! ^.^


	12. The Melody Playing on my Heartstrings

****

CHAPTER 12: THE MELODY PLAYING MY HEARTSTRINGS

Tayomi stared out on the window, watching the birds chirping on a nearby tree branch. The dazzling sun shone down on her pink cheeks, as she was whisked away into the depths of her mind, occupied by memories of her and Hitsugaya. Sighing, her thoughts wandered off into the night when the tragedy took place. Who was the one behind the massacre? Tayomi had not the slightest idea who 'AS' was, but she was sure that the assassins from the Secret Mobile Corps were definitely not sent by anyone from the Gotei 13. Captain Soi Fon, Commander of the Executive Militia, had no reason to assassinate them. Captain-commander Yanamoto would not be after their lives as well, since he was the one who started the program to stretch their potential and train them to become outstanding Shinigami, who would serve Soul Society wholeheartedly and destroy evil.

Kiseida awoke and sat up, running her hair through her fingers. Tayomi ran over and sat beside her, as they discussed their plans. For now, they had to rest and do absolutely nothing but wait, until their reiatsu was restored. She had managed to find her communicator the day before, but it was broken and she had not the slightest idea on how to fix it. Jean had left the house to them and Tayomi had been poking around the communicator with tools, but had no idea how to fix it. She could not bring it those shops in the Human World and let the mechanics handle something so advanced, making them curious and arouse their suspicion. Somehow, she would just have to fix it herself. They decided to take their minds off things for a while and go shopping with the money they had, given to them by Soul Society before they left for the Human World.

They walked by all the stores, entering every single one of them. For the very first time, they entered a department store, filled with nothing but clothes. Tayomi and Kiseida tried on all sorts of clothes, before finally picking a few that they liked. Tayomi preened in front of the mirror in a black halter-neck shirt, a pink skirt, a black jacket, knee-high colourful socks and brown boots. She smiled at herself in the mirror and suddenly, an image of Hitsugaya appeared in the mirror. He hugged her from the back and smiled, but once she looked up, he was gone. Burying her face in her hands and dropping to her knees, she wondered what was going on. Her mind was so full of him that she was hallucinating, seeing illusions of him and her together again. Tayomi was so close to breaking down, but she decided to stay strong. Time would fix this mess. Time would restore her reiatsu and let her return to him. Even if it was because of time, that Hitsugaya no longer loved her the way he used to, seeing him again would be enough for her. Sighing, she walked out of the dressing room and bought the clothes, before linking arms with Kiseida and heading towards the neighbouring store.

* * *

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, with Hyorinmaru in front of him, going into a meditative state. Bankai was the only thing on his mind right now, besides Tayomi. He would achieve Bankai for her, for himself, for them. He was finally inside his inner world, as the ice dragon looked upon him, speaking.

"You are not focused today." Its voice echoed throughout the area, embedded with ice. Hitsugaya looked down, his eyes devoid of emotion.

"Do you want to progress on, or not?"

"Yes." Hitsugaya replied, full of determination, well-aware that he had to focus for now. He turned to his right and saw an illusion of Tayomi standing beside him, smiling. Her last words to him sounded throughout his mind incessantly. Taking a deep breath, he raised his Zanpakutou and screamed, charging towards Hyorinmaru.

* * *

Tayomi and Kiseida walked past a music store and rushed in. The whole place was magical, with music playing from the sound system. There were shelves filled with CDs and headphones, as well as walls lined with all sorts of instruments. Tayomi stared at the instruments and was marvelled by it. She took down a strange-looking instrument and strummed its strings, creating a nice sound. Amazed by what she did, she continued playing, plucking the strings and strumming it. Everyone in the store looked at her, as she tried to play the tune she heard in the store. When she finished playing it, the store erupted into applause and she was stunned. She had no idea what she just did, but she liked it. The store owner ran over to her, praising her skills on the guitar.

"Guitar? What's that?" She asked.

"The song you just played on that thing? It's called a guitar." The store owner pointed at the instrument she was holding.

Tayomi nodded her head, delighted at her newfound knowledge. So, humans played strange-looking things called guitars, which make nice sounds. She still seemed confused and questioned the store owner further. He was shocked, as Tayomi just played the tune perfectly and admitted that she had never touched a 'guitar' in her whole life. He explained that the 'guitar' created 'music' and was used to play 'songs'. Taking out a book, he thrust it into her hands, encouraging her to buy the guitar and learn it, since she showed promise at it. It cost fifty thousand and twenty yen in total, shocking Tayomi. She did not have that sort of money with her and apologised, telling the store owner that she could not afford it. He asked them how old they were, looking at Tayomi's miserable height. Kiseida replied, telling him that she was seventeen and that Tayomi was fifteen. The store owner smiled and offered them both a job at the store, telling them to work for him and he would deduct their pay accordingly, till they were able to pay off the guitar. Tayomi and Kiseida looked at each other, before nodding in agreement. The store owner explained to them everything about the job, including the pay and working hours. Tayomi and Kiseida nodded, shaking hands with him before leaving the store, with Tayomi's new guitar and book in hand.

Tayomi sat on the bed, holding her light brown guitar and strumming it softly. She looked down at the book and followed the instructions, pressing down the nylon strings and playing a sound, known as a 'note'. Kiseida was surfing the internet, searching for all sorts of songs and getting Tayomi to try playing them. She played them pitch-perfect, surprising herself as well. Perhaps besides Shinigami arts, she was 'musically gifted' as well. It helped her take her mind off the fact that she would be waiting a long time for her Shinigami powers to come back, but only for a brief moment. At night, the moonlight beamed down onto her face, as she lay in her bed, wearing a white spaghetti-strapped shirt and dark green shorts, the blankets covering her up till under her neck. Her purplish-blue eyes sparkled under the moonlight, shining with tears. Her teardrops fell one by one, when Hitsugaya's face surfaced in her mind. She shut her eyes tight and covered them with her arms, trying to force herself to fall asleep somehow. Although, somewhere inside, she knew that she would never sleep well until she returned to Soul Society.

* * *

Hinamori, Renji and Kira sat together outside the 5th Division's barracks. They had recently been separated, with Renji being transferred to the 11th Division and Kira being transferred to the 3rd Division. Lieutenant Ichimaru had been promoted to the post of Captain of the 3rd Division and Hinamori took over as Lieutenant of the 5th Division. Kira had become the Lieutenant of the 3rd Division and Renji was the 6th Seat of the 11th Division. They sat together, waiting for Hitsugaya to arrive. As his senpai and friends, they were very concerned about him and had asked him out for a chat, hoping to take his mind off Tayomi for a while and get him to speak.

"Hitsugaya –kun! How was Bankai training?" Hinamori asked excitedly as Hitsugaya walked over to them, sitting down, still gripping his Zanpakutou.

"Fine." He replied coldly.

Hinamori, Renji and Kira stared at him. Hitsugaya's face was stiff, frozen in a constant frown, his eyebrows pointing downwards all the time. It had been two weeks since Tayomi was gone and he seemed to be greatly affected by it still. For those past two weeks, he had only spoken fourteen words, which were made up of monosyllables. When he was questioned, he simply nodded or shook his head, after which he left, with his Zanpakutou in hand. He still performed exceedingly well during missions, his superiors often praised his capabilities and skills, sure that he would rise up the ranks quickly. Hitsugaya looked down, his mind still filled with thoughts of her.

"Hitsugaya-kun?" Kira waved his hand in front of Hitsugaya's face.

Hitsugaya was obviously distracted by his own thoughts. Renji sighed, before smacking him on the back, telling him to let it all out. Instead of telling them his problems, Hitsugaya ended up screaming, before bending his head down onto the ground and covering it with his hands. Tayomi was the only reason why he was trying to be strong, but also the only reason why he could crumble so easily. _It's all my fault… I failed to protect her. I failed to hold her back. I practically sent her into the clutches of danger. _He calmed down after a few seconds, with a new promise to himself.

_When she comes back, I will protect her unconditionally. For now, I have to be strong… I have to stay strong for her, until she comes back._

* * *

Tayomi threw off her blanket and picked up her guitar. She walked into the living room, sat down beside the window and began strumming the instrument. Blinking back tears, she opened her mouth and sang softly.

"He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar… The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star…"

* * *

**Author's note:  
**I decided to reveal one of Tayomi's talent outside the Shinigami field...MUSIC :D I was reading the Bleach wiki and realised that they listed some of the Shinigamis' talents, like Hinamori and drawing XD So I made Tayomi's one more unique, because no one has ever seen a Shinigami... well... SING or PLAY MUSIC. I actually play music myself, but not the guitar... T.T  
Next chapter, we shall visit her inner world again! And watch her achieve her Bankai, as well as find out the name of her Bankai :D Please stay tuned and review! Thanks! ^.^  
P.S. The next few chapters after that may be quite an Emo fest... But I can be a spoiler and tell you that the Emo fest ends at Chapter 16 :) Unless you want to see years of boredom and waiting around for their reiatsu to be restored XD


	13. BANKAI!

**CHAPTER 13: BANKAI!**

Tayomi sat down in the living room, opposite Kiseida. They both entered a meditative state, ready to come into contact with their Zanpakutou. Trying her best to clear her mind, freeing it from thoughts of Hitsugaya, Tayomi shut her eyes, gripping Inazuma Kaze's hilt as she entered her inner world, positive that if she did it right today, she would achieve Bankai. Her heart had been burning with curiosity ever since fifty Soul Society years ago, when she started training for Bankai. This was her second year in the Human World, which means that twenty years had passed in Soul Society. After tinkering with her communicator endlessly, she was still unable to fix it, though she knew that there was a part missing in her communicator, preventing it from functioning. She took a deep breath and entered her inner world.

The lightning storm had grown stronger in her inner world, ever since she began Bankai training. Inazuma Kaze had been going harder on her too, pushing her to the edges of her limits. Tayomi stood in the cold, dark blue water, unable to get a clear view of her surroundings. Bankai training had changed her inner world drastically. She was surrounded completely by mist and her surroundings were further blurred by the heavy rain and lightning flashing across the sky uncontrollably. It was a quiet storm, as no thunder was ever heard, even though lightning was streaking across the sky almost all the time, one after another. She shivered, as the temperature in the atmosphere plunged. The lightning storm had made her inner world freezing cold and made her hair stand. To make things worse, she was standing in icy cold water.

"YOU'RE OPEN!"

Tayomi instantly raised her blade, defending an attack from Inazuma Kaze. Inazuma Kaze still looked the same, wearing a dark blue cape, with a pale yellow shirt and navy blue shorts underneath. She had long yellow hair with blue highlights, with her fringe brushed to the right side of her face and the rest of her hair tied up into a low ponytail to the left side. She had fierce, sharp eyes which were pointed at the ends and her eye colour was sky blue. Her fingernails were painted gold and she had a pink cord tied around her right wrist, sharing the same shade of pink as Tayomi's hairband. Inazuma Kaze wore black boots and had another pink cord tied around her right ankle.

She cringed, as Tayomi managed to defend her attack. Lightning struck the area around Tayomi, causing her to get the feeling that Inazuma Kaze was going to be very harsh on her this time. She quickly escaped from the lightning area as fast as she could possibly go. Running with your feet in the water was not exactly the easiest thing to pull off. Inazuma Kaze dashed after her, shooting several lightning darts at her. One of them hit Tayomi straight in her left arm and blood started to drip from her wound. Tayomi grabbed the lightning dart and brutally pulled it out of her arm, knowing Inazuma Kaze's intention. Apparently, for Inazuma Kaze, part of her training included enhancing her durability. She had to admit, durability was important and ever since she started Bankai training, her body had been able to withstand more attacks as the years passed by. Taking a deep breath, she charged at Inazuma Kaze, raising her blade. She managed to land a hit on her, slashing her arm and causing blood to pour. Inazuma Kaze grinned and threw off her cape, before sending twenty lightning arrows at her. Tayomi neatly dodged every single one of them. Her speed had increased drastically as well ever since training. Tayomi had grown rapidly as a Shinigami, becoming stronger and stronger, getting closer to Bankai.

Just then, a breeze swept past and Tayomi immediately knew what it mean. Inazuma Kaze was going to use her final technique on her. She watched as the air around her turned into mini lightning bolts, attempting to electrify her. It was another test of durability. Tayomi was determined not the let the attack get to her. At the very most, the attack would not do much damage to her. She used Bakudou 73, Tozansho, creating an inverted pyramid-shaped shield around her. The lightning wind surrounded the inverted pyramid, electrifying and destroying it. Tayomi fell into the sea of water, landing on her feet and creating a small splash. Inazuma Kaze nodded, deciding on the next trick to pull on her master.

The fight had ensued for about an hour by now. Inazuma Kaze pointed a finger at Tayomi, creating a large bolt of lightning, aiming it in Tayomi's face. Tayomi knew exactly what Inazuma Kaze wanted her to do and raised her blade as the lightning bolt sped towards her. Inazuma Kaze would keep shooting the lightning bolts at her, increasing its speed if she did not do it right. Tayomi placed her palm against her Zanpakutou's blade, as it absorbed the lightning bolt. The impact caused by the lightning bolt was strong, as it pushed her backwards, creating a massive wave of water which splashed all over Tayomi. She stood strong and pushed her wet hair out of her face, before swinging her blade, directing the lightning bolt back towards Inazuma Kaze. Inazuma Kaze smiled and vanished all of a sudden.

Tayomi held her breath as she looked around her. If there was one thing Inazuma Kaze had taught her, it was that she must never reveal her fear to her opponent. She must never panic or be afraid whenever she was in front of them. She had to stay calm, breathe and stay on her toes. Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou, waiting for Inazuma Kaze to appear before her eyes. _Where is Inazuma Kaze? _She waited, standing in the ice cold water, in the middle of her misty surroundings. Just then, she felt something move and raised her blade, nicely defending herself from an attack from Inazuma Kaze.

"Well done, Tayomi-chan…" Inzauma Kaze snarled, as her blade started glowing yellow, ejecting lightning bolts. "You'd better give me more than your all for the next hour…"

Tayomi tightened her grip on the hilt of her Zanpakutou. The final phase. She was finally here. It was make or break now. She usually faltered at the last stage, as Inazuma Kaze threw every single attack in the book at her. The last stage never failed to befuddle her, confuse her and make her wonder exactly what her weakness was. Just like Tayomi, Inazuma Kaze possessed extreme intellect. It was just like challenging her very own brain. Knowing Inazuma Kaze was a materialised version of her identity as a Shinigami, Tayomi was quite sure that Inazuma Kaze's weaknesses were the same as her own. _My weakness… _Tayomi thought as she defended every single attack that Inazuma Kaze threw at her, narrowly avoiding her attacks. Inazuma Kaze always fought fair… If her opponent used Zanjutsu against her, she would retaliate with Zanjutsu. If they used Kidou, she would use Kidou as well. Suddenly, it came to Tayomi.

_HAKUDA!_

It was risky, but definitely worth a shot. Tayomi kept her Zanpakutou, strapping it back into her white sash. Inazuma Kaze seemed surprised at her move, but decided not to use her katana as well, throwing the blade aside. Tayomi charged at Inazuma Kaze, jumping up and landing on Inazuma Kaze's head. She balanced on her for a while, before jumping up again and kicking her square on the shoulder. When using Hakuda, she was always nervous, not as sharp as she usually was. Smiling inside, she punched Inazuma Kaze's gut, knocking Inazuma Kaze backwards. Inazuma Kaze growled, stood up and prepared to attack Tayomi. Tayomi dodged her attack, then grabbed Inazuma's Kaze fist and flipped her over. They fought violently, as Inazuma Kaze punched and kicked, with Tayomi avoiding every single one of them. She knew she had to end it somehow. If she continued dodging, she would never defeat Inazuma Kaze. After a brief moment of thoughts, she realised that she had to take advantage of the situation. Since Inazuma Kaze was using Hakuda against her and still thought that Tayomi was going to fight back with Hakuda, it was a good chance for her to strike back.

"Hadou 90, Kurohitsugi!" Tayomi shouted, as she watched the spell work its magic. A box of energy formed around Inazuma Kaze, before it exploded. As the dust cleared, Inazuma Kaze coughed and the mist finally disappeared as well. Lightning streaked across the sky more rapidly, as she looked up at Tayomi, smiling.

"You've really grown… Now, Tayomi-chan, please tell me why I should teach you Bankai…" She panted.

* * *

"Bankai… The final release of a Zanpakutou." Tayomi's voice was full of determination and passion. " Inazuma Kaze, I really want to learn it. You know what happened. With Shikai, I still watched my comrades get slaughtered and massacred… I became a Shinigami to protect those I love. I want to learn Bankai, because I don't ever want to see them hurt again. If I achieved Bankai, I know it doesn't gurantee that I won't see them hurt, but at the very least, I can protect them and lessen the damage caused by my enemies…"

Inazuma Kaze smiled at her. "Alright then. One last thing though, tell me everything about the boy that has been occupying your mind…"

Tayomi looked up. The mist had cleared and it revealed illusions of Hitsugaya, with all sorts of expressions. His smile, his anger… It was all there. Her inner world was crowded with imaginary images of Hitsugaya, as well as her memories together with him. Tayomi sighed and told Inazuma Kaze all about him, including everything they had went through and her circumstances. Inazuma Kaze looked at her for a moment, before hugging her master and making an attempt to comfort her.

"Be strong for now and listen well. When you return to Soul Society, don't forget to introduce that boy's Zanpakutou to me… I might like him!"

Tayomi giggled, upon hearing Inazuma Kaze's words and nodded.

"Now, remember the name of your Bankai. I will teach you the techniques the next time we meet… I'm a little exhausted right now and I believe you are tired too. Remember it well, Tayomi-chan. I will say it once and once only."

Tayomi held her breath, her ears wide open, ready to hear the name of her Bankai.

"Inazuma Arashi*."

With that, Inazuma Kaze disappeared and Tayomi awoke, with a smile on her face. She had finally gotten her Bankai.

_Inazuma Arashi.

* * *

_

**Translation:  
***Inazuma Arashi: Lightning Storm

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY BANKAI! :D Now Tayomi has finally gotten her Bankai! Next chapter, Tayomi and Kiseida will run into our favourite candyman! XD Yes, Urahara and Yoruichi will run into them! Urahara will help them with a manual :) Hitsugaya becomes a Captain and we shall peep into his thoughts... ^.^  
Stay tuned for the next chapter and please keep reviewing! XD Thank you! :D


	14. The Exiled

**CHAPTER 14: THE EXILED**

Kira dropped by the 10th Division's barracks to congratulate Hitsugaya's promotion to Captain of the 10th Division. Hitsugaya thanked him, without a smile. Just then, Hinamori and Renji came into his office as well, with the same intentions. Hitsugaya nodded at them and sighed. After years of hard work, he had finally achieved Bankai and the rank of Captain. He felt a little satisfied, but not a bit happy. The person he had wanted to see the most, the girl he wanted to show his Captain's haori to was not here. In fact, she had been gone for a total of forty years now and did not seem to be coming back. Inside, he strongly believed that she would come back and decided to await her return. Kira passed him a box, before leaving his office with Hinamori and Renji.

Hitsugaya stared at the box for a moment, before he decided to open it. According to Kira, it might cheer him up. Hitsugaya looked at the contents of the box, instantly realising who these items belonged to. _Tayomi Sakuri. _He sighed, before locking his door, placing the box on the floor and taking out every single item that was inside it. There were all sorts of things inside. He managed to dig out her old notebooks, including her old diary. Then, he found something that she held close to her heart. It was her pink bunny soft toy. The pink bunny that she could never go to sleep without. She had left it at Soul Society. Looking at the bunny's adorable eyes, he cuddled it, thinking of her endlessly. He quickly kept the contents of the box back under the desk in his new office, except for the bunny. Walking to his bed with the bunny in his hand, he slid under the covers, hugging the bunny as if it was Tayomi herself.

* * *

Tayomi and Kiseida walked down the street. Though Karakura Town was rather small, they had yet to explore all the shops in it, due to most of their days being occupied by work. Tayomi had finally paid off the guitar and the book, but they decided to keep working there, in order to sustain their 'bills' and pay for their expenses. Their days in Karakura Town were normal, peaceful, but definitely lacking in excitement. Although, they had to admit, they were relieved that not a single hollow had come after them. Kiseida and Tayomi were skilled in Kidou, thus they could hide their reiatsu well. More than half of their reiatsu had been restored, but they could not return to Soul Society immediately. Travelling in between worlds was exhausting and hard on a Shinigami's body. They could not risk exhausting their reiatsu and having to replenish it again. Both had decided to wait for their reiatsu to be fully restored before going back to Soul Society. In their hearts, they were sure that once they got back, they would have a lot of explaining to do.

They walked into a deserted park, usually sitting down there to watch the sun set. Tayomi sighed as the orange sun turned the sky into a palette of pastel hues, making it look like a work of art. She sighed, before lying down on the grass beside her best friend and closing her eyes. All of a sudden, she felt something drip down onto her face. Opening her eyes, she looked up to see a huge hollow in front of her. Kiseida, who lay beside her, was staring at the hollows as well. They both screamed in unison, quickly running as far away as they could. Running in their uncomfortable Gigai proved to be a difficult task as their legs did not move as fast as they usually did. _Oh my gosh, someone get me out of here!_

They stopped in their tracks and turned around, realising that no one was going to come to their aid and they should just fight it together. Since they were unable to transform out of their Gigai, they were left with no option but to use Hakuda and Kidou. Between the two, Tayomi decided to choose Kidou without hesitation. Hakuda would kill her much faster. She was aware that she had to use incantations and needed to fight at a distance. Dashing off to a corner far off, she raised her arm and chanted.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hadou 63, Soren Sokatsui!"

The two blasts of blue fire hit the hollow square in its gut, causing it to roar loudly. Kiseida fired Hadou 58, Tenran, at the hollow, as it became angrier and angrier. Its eyes lighted up into a bloody red shade, before swinging out its heavy arms, crashing into Tayomi and Kiseida's chests, knocking them ten metres backwards. Panting and gasping for air, Tayomi struggled as she stood up, trying to steady herself. Kiseida did the same as well, before firing another Kidou spell at the hollow. The hollow growled and charged towards Kiseida. She had no time to avoid the spell. Tayomi quickly raised her hand and chanted.

"Carriage of thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudou 61, Rikujokoro!"

The beams of light held the hollow in its place. Tayomi hoped and prayed that it would stay still for at least a while, so they could take it down together. For the next few minutes, they fired Kidou spells at it non-stop, until it finally disintegrated and disappeared. Tayomi and Kiseida both looked at each other and smiled, before passing out due to exhaustion.

* * *

Tayomi awoke in a strange place. The interior was made of wood and looked like a traditional house. She slowly sat up and looked around. Kiseida was up as well and they both inspected their surroundings. Surprisingly, their injuries did not hurt anymore. Someone, whoever owned this strange place had healed them. Just then, a small and raven-haired girl walked into the room. She asked after the both of them and Tayomi replied her, thanking her for healing them. The girl shook her head, claiming that she was not the one who healed them. At that moment, a black cat and a man walked into the shop. He had light blond hair and wore a hat, with green and white stripes. Tayomi stared at him blankly. That man had such a strange, mysterious appearance. She looked at the three of them, wondering who they were.

"The two of you are Shinigami, aren't you?" The blond man asked.

"Wait. Who are you?" Tayomi shot them a curious look.

"Oh! This is Tsumigiya Ururu and Shihoin Yoruichi." He smiled, pointing to the little girl and the black cat. "And I'm Urahara Kisuke, the handsome, wonderful owner of this little candy shop! Would you like some candy?"

Urahara thrust a whole mound of candy into Tayomi's arms. Tayomi stared at the candy, then Kiseida, then Urahara. How did that man know that they were Shinigami? Since either Urahara or Yoruichi were able to heal them, they were likely to be Shinigami as well. However, Urahara and Yoruichi's names seemed to ring a bell. After a moment of thinking, she realised that they were Shinigamis that had been exiled many years back. Her heart fell, knowing that she could not possibly ask an exiled Shinigami to open a Senkai Gate and trouble them.

"You people are Shinigami too…" Tayomi muttered. "I hope this isn't too much to ask, but do you know how to fix communicators?"

Urahara stared at her blankly, before passing her a manual on fixing communicators. Tayomi thanked him and Urahara questioned them. She ended up explaining the events that took place forty Soul Society years ago. The three of them listened intently, before nodding their heads. Urahara told them that he had managed to heal them both, but as he did not specialise in healing Kidou, he had only managed to heal their injuries and restore a small amount of their reiatsu. He stated that they had exhausted a lot of energy in fighting the hollow and further exhaustion would be disastrous, increasing the possibilities of doing further damages to their bodies and their reiatsu. Yoruichi asked Tayomi about her future plans, while she and Kiseida stayed in the Human World, waiting for their reiatsu to be fully replenished. Tayomi possessed so much spiritual energy that healing her was especially tiring. She sighed and told Yoruichi that it was likely that she would train. Urahara smiled and told them to follow him.

He brought them into a large room, resembling a deserted land without life. There were cracks in the ground and Tayomi nearly tripped over. Yoruichi introduced this strange room as an underground training area and revealed to them to true identity of the shop. Urahara's Shop was in truth, a shop that caters to a Shinigami's needs. It was like a base for Shinigamis who entered Karakura Town. Urahara suggested that if they intended to train, they could use this area. Yoruichi added that they should abstain from straining their bodies too much while training, fearing that the two youths would go overboard with their work.

"It will cost you though!" Urahara gave them a sly smile.

Tayomi sighed and looked at Kiseida. They both agreed and told Urahara that they would use his training ground. In exchange, they would pay him every single time they wanted to enter. She told him that they would not come often, as they had jobs in the daytime and other things to tend to. With that, they made an agreement and Kiseida and Tayomi departed from the store. They smiled in delight, knowing that in a few months time, in five Soul Society years, their reiatsu would be fully restored and their injuries would be fully healed. They would be able to return home, stronger than ever.

* * *

"Enter, new Captain of the 10th Division, Hitsugaya Toushirou!" Yamamoto's voice boomed.

Hitsugaya entered the meeting room, with the other Captains staring at him. They were certainly taller than him and appeared to be impressed, as he had risen to the ranks of Captain so quickly, despite his age. After a brief introduction, Hitsugaya took his place and stood beside Captain of the 12th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Yamamoto nodded and immediately began the meeting.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Urahara is awesome. I won't be happy if Bleach ends without showing his Bankai :D Alright, next chapter is chapter 15! Tayomi and Kiseida are finally going home... NOT. Because they have to go towards another place. Yes everyone, I am finally linking this story to the Fake Karakura Town Arc! XD I know most of you are thinking why Tayomi and Hitsugaya never met in the real world... It's because Tayomi is a busy girl. She has jobs in the day and she can't train often. Thus she doesn't visit and pay Urahara to use his training ground often. Besides, she'll be focusing on trying to figure out Urahara's unuser-friendly manual (He's smarter than her... T.T) And if they met in the real world, that's rather anti-climatic.  
I hope you liked this chapter! :D Please review! Thanks! ^.^ Lets await Tayomi's return!


	15. Towards Another Direction in Tears

**CHAPTER 15: TOWARDS ANOTHER DIRECTION IN TEARS**

It had been fifty years since Kiseida and her last stepped into Soul Society. She could feel the moment drawing closer and closer. Her reiatsu was almost completely restored and while waiting for it to be fully restored, she attempted to fix her communicator. They had moved to another town, under Jean's instruction. They had been living in this new town for a year now.

As for the communicator, she had been tinkering with it for six months now. Due to her busy schedule, she could only find time to try and fix it twice a week. Urahara's manual was not exactly the most user-friendly manual and he had been gone from the shop for a really long time. Tayomi was left to her own devices and continued playing with the communicator.

"Sheesh, why couldn't he have made this manual easier to understand?" Tayomi mumbled to herself.

She wondered what the last few sentences meant. Success was so close, yet she had not managed to decipher the meaning behind the last few sentences, which would effectively fix her communicator and make them all set to return to Soul Society. Just then, her left eyelid started to twitch uncontrollably and she shut her eyes. Kiseida stared at her before laughing, telling Tayomi to get a rest and let her try to fix the communicator instead. Tayomi shook her head, knowing perfectly well that Kiseida was hopeless at fixing such sophisticated gadgets. With her eyelid twitching, she continued staring at the manual and wondering what to do with her communicator. Inside, she had a bad feeling burning in her heart. She was sure that she could fix the communicator, but felt that somewhere out there, there was trouble lurking around.

* * *

"You're too impulsive…" Aizen smirked. "Hitsugaya Taicho…"

Hitsugaya snarled, glaring at Aizen. The man who betrayed Soul Society and attempted to kill his childhood friend was here, mocking him. Hitsugaya was ridden with grief, as he had been tricked by Aizen, causing him to stab Hinamori on accident. Hinamori had fallen onto the ground below, bleeding in the chest. Captain Soi Fon, Captain Shunsui and Captain Komamura all faced Aizen, their faces full of anger. Aizen was the cause of all this trouble. Aizen had caused the various casualties in this battle and their Lieutenants were rendered helpless, as they had fallen onto the ground. The Vizards had fallen as well, leaving the Captains alone to face Aizen. Aizen gave them all a sly grin as he slashed every single one of them, without a single Captain realising what he had done. Hitsugaya looked at his arm and leg, as they separated themselves from his body and felt himself fall to the ground below. All the Captains landed with a crash, trying to bear with their injuries. Just then, Aizen came up in Hitsugaya's face and smiled.

"Fifty long years ago, Captain Ukitake wanted to send Miyako Shiba on that special training mission. I intervened though, telling him to send Tayomi Sakuri instead. Once that group reached the Living World, I bribed some members of the Secret Mobile Corps and ordered them to kill everyone there, including innocent Tayomi-chan…"

Hitsugaya's eyes grew wide, as everything came together. Aizen… He was responsible for that tragedy!

"Tayomi Sakuri was everything a Shinigami should be. Strong, powerful, upright and calm. You, Hitsugaya Taicho, are hot-headed. You won't be much of a threat to me. But Tayomi Sakuri… She was a threat to me and I had to get rid of her. So I sent those assassins for her life…"

"Aizen…" Hitsugaya mustered up all his energy and tried to speak. "Damn you… You bastard…"

"Don't be so unhappy, Hitsugaya Taicho. Think of it this way. If you die now, maybe you would meet her again as well… Without any memories of each other!"

Aizen cackled, before he headed to the Living World with Ichimaru. Hitsugaya watched Isshin and Ichigo give chase immediately. It was all Aizen's fault… He hurt her. Hitsugaya was burning with rage inside, determined to kill Aizen if he got the chance. He was well-aware of his injuries and hoped that Ichigo would be able to do the killing for him, in his place. With that, Hitsugaya lost consciousness as blood poured from his wounds.

* * *

Tayomi and Kiseida were still at work, in the music store in that town. Her eyelid had continued twitching and it irritated her very much. Tayomi was relieved that her day at work was almost ending and that her time in this town was almost done. Her reiatsu was about ninety eight percent restored and she was able to return to Soul Society. She had almost figured out how to fix the communicator and was determined to get it done by tonight, so they could go home. Kiseida and Tayomi had handed in their resignation letter to their boss, claiming that they were moving to another town. It was their last day at work and their boss was definitely sad to see them go, even though they had been working there for only a year. Tayomi had written a letter to Jean and left it in the house, as well as her guitar, promising that she would go to Jean's aid if she ever needed it.

Tayomi and Kiseida returned home right after work. Tayomi instantly sat down at her table, picked up the screwdriver and tweaked the communicator back into shape. Once she was done and it was up and working, the both of them changed out of their Gigai and read the updates that had been sent to the whole of Soul Society for the past forty five years. Their eyes immediately spotted a message about a traitor and they read it. _Aizen Sosuke betrayed Soul Society? Aizen Sosuke… A.S.?_

"Kiseida…" Tayomi gasped. "I think Captain Aizen was the one who attempted to kill us. A.S. Aizen Sosuke!"

Kiseida gasped in shock and they read the latest update, about the Lieutenants and Captains going to the town where they used to reside in, to battle Aizen, his 'Espada', Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tousen. Apparently, Ichimaru and Tousen had defected as well, leaving the Gotei 13 with only half of its military power. So that was why her eyelid was twitching... Something bad had definitely happened. Kiseida and she decided to head to the town and assist the Captains. Surely, they would be in need of aid. As they were both skilled in Kidou, they could help treat the injured. Tayomi immediately opened the Senkai Gate and they headed towards Karakura Town. Kiseida and Tayomi were horrified, once the Senkai Gate opened and they saw everything that was before their eyes.

* * *

The whole of Karakura Town had been reduced to rubble. The buildings were crushed and power cords were left hanging all over. Windows were shattered and the road was filled with deep depressions. There was absolutely no sign of life there, as she could not sense the reiatsu of anyone from Aizen's army. _I have to treat the injured first..._ Kiseida and her split up, searching half of the town each for any casualties. Just then, Tayomi managed to sense a faint reiatsu nearby. It was cold, icy and very familiar to her. It was the reiatsu of the person she had wanted to see the most. She could feel her own tears about to overflow and leak down her face. Her legs picked up speed and she headed towards that reiatsu. Why was his reiatsu so faint? As she felt herself get closer and closer, she could feel Hinamori's reiatsu, about to fade off as well. Using shunpo, she ran towards her friends, whose lives were obviously in danger. Once she reached, she knew that she could never be prepared for what she was about to see.

"SUSU-CHAN!"

She ran over to him and the mass of bodies, belonging to the various Captains. His left arm and leg had been chopped off, separated from his body. Below his arm lay Captain Soi Fon and his leg lay on top of Captain Shunsui. Hinamori's chest was bleeding and Tayomi knew that there was no more time to waste. She created a barrier around them and began treatment instantly. Knowing that as a healer, she had to go by the severity of their injuries, she started off by healing Hinamori. Trying as much as she could to hold back tears, she healed Hinamori's wound. She aimed to sustain Hinamori's lifeforce and the other Captains' as well, before she could heal them fully and restore their reiatsu. However, Tayomi doubted that she could do so, quite sure that she would be exhausted, just healing her to the bare minimum. Hinamori's injuries were very serious and Tayomi knew that she had just snatched her from the brinks of death. After an hour of hard work, Hinamori was finally done. She could live. Tayomi evaluated the rest of the Captains' injuries and decided to heal Hitsugaya next.

As she healed him and used a high level healing spell to attach his arm and leg back to his body, memories of their past began flooding in. She was right after all. By the time she returned, he was wearing a Captain's haori, rising to become the Captain of his Division. His hairstyle had changed, but his face still looked the same way it did fifty years ago. He still seemed troubled and even though she was unsure if he still felt that way he did fifty years ago, it did not matter. She was happy enough to be able to see him again. After a great amount of effort, she managed to heal him, much to her delight. She began healing the other Captains and once she was done, she felt faint. Her reiatsu was probably exhuasted, after healing so many Shinigamis at one go. She turned to look at Hitsugaya again and could no longer hold back her tears.

"Hitsugaya Taicho... Don't die..." She spoke, before she lost consciousness.

* * *

Hitsugaya awoke in the 4th Division's barracks, wondering what had happened. The last time he was conscious, he remembered Aizen cutting off his left arm and leg. His left arm and leg were attached to his body and was working fine, leaving him curious. Was the war over? Had Ichigo managed to defeat Aizen? Surely he should have done so, since he was back in the Gotei 13 headquarters. Just then, Hinamori, Kira and Renji entered his room.

"Hitsugaya Taicho, you're awake at last!" Kira smiled.

"You've been asleep for about a week now..." Renji sighed.

"Anyway, Hitsugaya-kun, we want to show you something. You may be happy after seeing it, but sad as well..." Hinamori tried to smile.

Hitsugaya followed them into another room in the 4th Division's barracks. He noticed Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana whispering to one another, before they turned around and saw Hitsugaya staring at them.

"Are you ready to meet the one who saved you, Hinamori and all the other Captains?" Captain Ukitake asked solemnly.

Hitsugaya nodded and walked towards the bed. Sleeping in it was a young girl with dark, black hair and bangs covering her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly pink. There was a pink hairband on the bedside table and once he looked at her, he instantly recognised the girl he was looking at.

"Tayomi..." Hitsugaya gasped**.**

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY Tayomi is back home at last! But that doesn't mean everything is alright... She still has a lot of explaining to do and she has to make sure Yamamoto believes her :D Plus, Hitsugaya and she are both equally unsure if time has done anything to change the feelings they have towards each other. Nonetheless, she decides to give Hitsugaya a surprise at his next Captain's meeting! Stay tuned for the next chapter and please keep reviewing! ^.^ Thanks!


	16. Welcome, New Captain

****

CHAPTER 16: WELCOME, NEW CAPTAIN

Hitsugaya gazed at her, with tears in his eyes. He could not be bothered about his pride any longer and teardrops fell from his eyes. They were happy tears. He was absolutely delighted, he knew all those years that she was alive. Unable to control himself, he knelt down by her bedside and held her hand, holding it close to his cheek. Using his other hand, he stroked her face lovingly. It had been fifty long years. For half a century, he had been waiting for this moment. Even though he never expected it to turn out this way, he was glad that she was alive. However, the tears of happiness turned into sadness, as he realised that she had been unconscious longer than he had been. Captain Ukitake sighed and patted Hitsugaya on the shoulder, telling him that they had to leave for the Captain's meeting. Unwillingly, Hitsugaya let go of her hand and followed Ukitake. Before he left, he told Hinamori, Renji and Kira to watch after her and inform him once she awoke. He looked at the five of them, ordering them to look away for a moment. They obeyed him and Hitsugaya turned back to the sleeping girl, quickly kissing her on her lips. After that kiss, he left her room with an unwilling heart.

A few minutes later, Tayomi slowly opened her eyes. She saw Hinamori, Renji and Kira all looking at her, smiling. She smiled back at them and squeezed Hinamori's hand, glad that she had done enough to save her. Hinamori thanked her, ruffling her hair. The three of them expressed their happiness to see her alive and asked after her. Tayomi sighed, telling her she was fine and it was just exhaustion. Looking around, she wondered where Hitsugaya was. Her eyes were wide and she frowned slightly. Kira quickly told her that Hitsugaya had to attend the Captain's meeting and texted Hitsugaya, informing him that Tayomi had awoken. A few seconds later, Kira received a reply, telling him to bring Tayomi and Kiseida to the Captain's meeting room. Tayomi's heart fell, as she realised that he had nothing else to say to her.

* * *

Tayomi and Kiseida, dressed in their Shinigami robes, made their way to the Captain's meeting room and waited to be called in. Once Captain-commander Yamamoto's voice ordered them to come in, they entered nervously. It was a long, nerve-wrecking walk as all the Captains of the Gotei 13 stared at the both of them. Hitsugaya looked at Tayomi, but she looked away, turning her head in Captain-commander Yamamoto's direction. He felt that she was avoiding eye contact with him on purpose, instantly knowing that something was wrong. He was not there when she woke up. Perhaps she thought that he no longer cared about her? Captain-commander Yamamoto questioned them in a serious tone, asking the both of them why they had been gone for so long, reminding them that it was a crime to stay in the Living World for too long. Tayomi took a deep breath and explained everything, hoping that Yamamoto would believe her. She started with the massacre and told him that Aizen was behind it all. Then, she explained how they were badly injured and were left with no choice but to recover in the Living World. As for why they never contacted Soul Society, she explained that her communicator had broken, fully aware that she sounded dumb. Kiseida and she explained the whole sequence of events till their mouths were dry. Yamamoto nodded and sent the both of them out, leaving the both of them shivering in fear.

"Should we pardon their crimes?" Yamamoto asked.

"Although they broke a law, they had no choice, under their circumstances… " Captain Shunsui sighed.

"Please pardon them!" Captain Ukitake cried. "I know the both of them well enough to know that they would never break the law unless left without a choice… Besides, they have made up for their crime by saving us!"

"I agree. They saved our lives." Captain Komamura sighed.

"I believe that we can make an exception for them. If we stripped them of their powers, it would be a waste of talent." Captain Soi Fon replied. "Especially 4th Seat Tayomi. She's a talent."

Captain Kenpachi, Captain Kuchiki and Captain Kurotsuchi simply nodded in agreement, completely exhausted after being dragged out of Hueco Mundo and leaving their battle with Yammy unfinished. Captain Kenpachi seemed grumpy as he was not finished with Yammy and was dragged out, just as he got excited and slashed away at the Espada. Captain Kuchiki seemed as stoic as usual and Captain Kurotsuchi was happy, as he had gotten all sorts of research from Syazel Apporo's lab.

"Yes." Captain Ukitake said. "Tayomi is a talent. If she had learnt Bankai, I believe she would make a fine Captain."

All the Captains stared at Captain Ukitake in shock. He had just made a huge statement. Even if she was a prodigy, they did not know her well and had not the slightest idea about her strength. Her capabilities and ability to lead a Division was still questioned. Captain Ukitake's face was full of determination. He believed very strongly that Tayomi would be a good Captain. Hitsugaya simply kept silent, though he secretly agreed. He was positive that she would have learnt Bankai by now. Captain-commander Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, asking Captain Ukitake if he was recommending Tayomi for the post of Captain. Captain Ukitake nodded. Captain-commander Yamamoto sighed and ended the meeting, asking Captain Ukitake, Captain Soi Fon and Captain Shunsui to stay behind.

As the Captains streamed out of the meeting room, Hitsugaya looked at Tayomi, who avoided his gaze once again. He was unable to run over and hug her in front of all the Captains. He sighed and returned to his Division's barracks.

* * *

Hitsugaya sat on his chair and spaced out. Suddenly, he felt someone slap his head and groaned. He looked up and saw his Lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku, smiling at him and Hinamori standing beside her.

"Taicho! You're spacing out!" Matsumoto laughed.

"Where's your paperwork?" He shouted.

"Did you see Yomi-chan? Did you talk to her?" Hinamori asked.

Hitsugaya's face went red. "Why would I?"

"TAICHO! You never told me you had a girlfriend…" Matsumoto laughed again, as if she was high on sake. "No wonder you never showed an interest in girls all these years…"

"Tayomi is not my girlfriend." Hitsugaya huffed.

"Hinamori told me everything already…" Matsumoto smiled. "So you do like her!"

Hitsugaya glared at her for a moment before replying. "So what? It's not like she cares."

Hinamori sighed and made Hitsugaya tell her everything that had happened. After much persuasion and scoldings from Matsumoto, he finally spilled. He told them about how she had avoided looking at him the whole time and Hinamori sighed. She reassured Hitsugaya that she was just shy. Matsumoto smiled and walked out of the room briefly. She returned with a whole stack of romance DVDs that she had bought in the Human World. Hitsugaya stared at her briefly, before snickering and looking away. Matsumoto forced him to watch every single DVD and ordered him to confess to Tayomi all over again, evoking a few giggles from Hinamori. Hitsugaya squabbled with Matsumoto, saying that he was her Captain and she had no right to order him around. Matsumoto glared at him, before smacking him with her chest and screaming back at him. Hinamori simply stared at the both of them, watching the strange fight unfold.

"Taicho! I'm telling you to watch them! Then you can confess to her PERFECTLY!"

"Idiot! Did I say I would confess to her?"

"Taicho… You can use the methods that the male leads use and LURE her into your room… Then you can confess your love! You can like… TRAP HER IN A CORNER AND MAKE SURE SHE CAN'T ESCAPE WHILE YOU PROFESS YOUR UNDYING LOVE FOR HER!"

"I'm not a pervert like you!"

"TAICHO! YOU CAN…"

"MATSUMOTO!"

* * *

Tayomi stood in front of Captain-commander Yamamoto, Captain Ukitake, Captain Soi Fon and Captain Shunsui. The four pairs of eyes were staring at her, making her nervous and bite her lip. Captain-commander Yamamoto broke the silence, informing her that Captain Ukitake had recommended that she become a Captain. Tayomi's eyes shot wide open in surprise, wondering why he said that. Captain Ukitake simply smiled at her, strongly believing that the girl he had found in Rukongai decades ago had the potential to become an outstanding Captain and contribute to Soul Society. Captain Soi Fon's face was as stern as ever, watching her every move carefully. Captain Shunsui seemed unusually laidback for a Captain, looking at her sleepily and playing with his straw hat. Captain-commander Yamamoto asked her if she had learnt her Bankai. Tayomi nodded and he ordered her to show it to them. She unsheathed her Zanpakutou and spoke under her breath.

"Ban-kai."

* * *

Hitsugaya sat tied to his chair, while romance movies were played in his face repeatedly. With help from Hinamori, Matsumoto had tied him to his chair and forced him to watch the DVDs. It was rather disturbing, he felt, watching the male lead and female lead do inappropriate things. He sighed and tried his best to sit through the torture. Looking to his left, he realised that there were five more DVDs to go. A few minutes later, he could not take it anymore.

"MATSUMOTO! YOU WILL UNTIE ME NOW!"

"No way… Taicho…" Matsumoto laughed, high on sake. "Not until you agree to confess to her…"

"OKAY! FINE! I'LL DO IT!"

"Good Taicho… Hinamori! Untie him…"

"Yes, Rangiku-san!"

* * *

The next day, a Captain's meeting was held early in the morning, regarding the new Captain of the 5th Division. Every Captain was left wondering who their new colleague would be and what he or she would look like. The whole of Soul Society was buzzing with curiosity, speculating who it would be. Only Captain Shunsui, Captain Soi Fon and Captain Ukitake knew who it was. Captain Ukitake smiled, excited to see the new Captain walk through the door. Captain-commander Yamamoto described the new Captain of the 5th Division as a talented, outstanding Shinigami, committed to serving Soul Society ever since she was young. All the Captains glued their eyes on the door as Captain-commander Yamamoto ordered the new Captain to enter.

She had long black hair and wore a pink hairband, letting her bangs cover her forehead and touch her eyebrows. Her eyes were purplish-blue, like the colour of a stormy sky. Her nose and lips were perfectly shaped, making her appearance adorable and cute like a young girl, but sophisticated and beautiful at the same time. She had a bright smile on her face, smiling at everyone in the room. However, she was not very tall, standing at one hundred and twenty five centimetres. She kept her Zanpakutou, which was sixty eight centimetres long, tied to her white obi sash. Instead of the usual ribbon which drooped downwards, her sash was tied in a small and stiff ribbon, slightly towards her right and she let the long tail of the ribbon hang down. Her Shinigami robes had been altered, as her sleeves reached up to her wrist and instead of the usual black hakama, she wore a short loose skirt, five fingers above her knees. She wore the sleeveless white haori worn by Captains, with the underside of it being light green in colour.

"My fellow comrades, meet the new Captain of the 5th Division, Tayomi Sakuri."

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY at last, she's a Captain! Of course I would make her take the 5th Division... There's a certain significance to it :D ('His better half'... Isn't the value of 5 half of 10? XD)  
Next chapter, she will settle into her new Division and Matsumoto and Hinamori will continue on their quest to bring their Captains together :D I managed to churn out 3 chapters today because technically, I have no school from today till friday...We're having this project and we're given days off to work on it XD I have french class tomorrow, so I won't be furiously writing so many chapters tomorrow... T.T  
Hope you liked this chapter and please review! ^.^ Thanks!


	17. Captain of the 5th Division

**CHAPTER 17: CAPTAIN OF THE 5****TH**** DIVISION**

Hitsugaya stared at her in awe. The both of them had become Captains of the Gotei 13 in the end, just like they said they would decades ago. Tayomi smiled at everyone, before taking her place beside Captain Komamura. After a brief introduction, Captain-commander Yamamoto nodded and began the Captain's meeting. For the whole duration of that meeting, Hitsugaya found it hard to keep his eyes off her. He had not seen her for fifty years and she was still as beautiful as ever.

After the Captain's meeting, the Captains of the Gotei 13 filed out of the meeting room. Captain Shunsui smiled at her, saying that he would be organising a party at night, to celebrate Aizen's defeat and her new position as Captain. Captain Ukitake laughed, saying that he would be coming as well. Shunsui invited the other Captains to come, ensuring that it would be fun. Soi Fon simply smirked and told him that she might decide to come. Byakuya sighed and said he would consider. Komamura claimed that he had an awful lot of work to do and would have to take a rain check on that offer. Kenpachi cackled, promising Shunsui that he would come with Yachiru, making Byakuya groan. Mayuri said he would be busy in the lab and would not be attending. Everyone turned to Hitsugaya, wondering what he would say. Tayomi looked at him as well, with her attractive eyes. He sighed and said he would come, claiming that Matsumoto would somehow drag him there. Shunsui smiled and bid them farewell, as the Captains headed to their respective Divisions' barracks.

Hitsugaya ran up beside Tayomi, offering to accompany her to her new Division's barracks. She simply smiled at him and told him it was okay, running off towards the 5th Division's barracks. He sighed and turned around, instantly spotting Matsumoto standing there, shaking her head.

* * *

Tayomi spotted Hinamori waiting for her inside, along with the rest of the 5th Division. The 5th Division seemed like nice people and there was a lot of murmuring going around, as her subordinates wondered what their new Captain was like. She certainly looked young and child-like, but she was quite well-known. According to Lieutenant Hinamori, she was a prodigy at Kidou. Hinamori ran over to Tayomi and hugged her, before turning to the 5th Division and shouting in joy.

"Everyone! This is our new Captain, Tayomi Sakuri!"

"Hi everyone!" Tayomi waved at them happily, excited to meet her new subordinates. "Um… Pleased to meet you! I hope we'll get along well and let's work hard to protect Soul Society. And as your Captain, I will be ready to help you and protect you always, so please feel free to approach me if you have any problems!"

The 5th Division applauded and let their new Captain enter her office. Carrying her belongings in a box, she moved into her new office. The Captain's office was huge, with a wooden desk and chair, as well as a carpet, sofa and coffee table. Giggling to herself, she set up her desk, placing her stationery on it, as well as her favourite ornaments. Hinamori looked at her and smiled. Just then, Hitsugaya entered her office, followed by his Lieutenant. She introduced herself as Matsumoto Rangiku. Tayomi stared at her for a moment, before calling her 'Rangiku-chan'. Her name was not easy at all and Tayomi could not think of a better nickname for Matsumoto. She smiled and nudged Hitsugaya, who was glaring at her all the way. Hitsugaya did not say a word and Matsumoto sighed, asking Tayomi if she was attending the party at the 8th Division's barracks. Tayomi nodded happily and Matsumoto grinned, telling her that Hitsugaya and she were going as well. Tayomi giggled and hugged Matsumoto. Matsumoto was a warm and friendly person, and Tayomi knew that they would be close friends in future.

* * *

That night, Captains from the various Divisions of the Gotei 13 gathered at the 8th Division's barracks, celebrating the new addition to their group. They had brought their Lieutenants as well. Hinamori, Kira, Hisagi and Renji all came of course, being long-time friends of Tayomi. Most of the Captains were there as well, even Byakuya, as he had been dragged there by Renji. Tayomi giggled as she looked around, excited to meet all her new colleagues. She recognised most of them, having met them already or grown up with them. All the Captains and Lieutenants welcomed her graciously, congratulating her on her promotion. She could only smile and thank them, since there was no other way to express her gratitude. Shunsui waved at her, motioning her to come sit with the Captains and their Lieutenants. Everyone sat in a circle, drinking tea or sake. Hitsugaya sighed, as Matsumoto excitedly pushed him towards Tayomi and made them sit together. Hinamori, Kira and Renji all laughed to themselves, watching both Tayomi and Hitsugaya show the same reaction. Tayomi looked down and so did Hitsugaya. Matsumoto laughed, nudging her Captain playfully.

"Tayomi-chan, your Bankai is so unique!" Shunsui smiled, appearing to a bit high on sake. His Lieutenant, Nanao Ise, sighed and shook her head.

"Thanks…" Tayomi laughed. "I'm really glad to be a Captain and work with all of you!"

The Captains and Lieutenants started asking Tayomi questions, eagerly finding out more about their new colleague. She answered all of their queries happily, blushing whenever they praised her. Hitsugaya gazed at her, smiling. Suddenly, Matsumoto suggested they play 'Truth of Dare' and everyone agreed, all thinking that it would be fun and it would be a good chance to play a prank on the new Captain. Before they got the game started, everyone promised that tonight's events would remain within the circle and be kept secret. Having Captain-commander Yamamoto find out that they were fooling around at night was just like asking to be killed voluntarily. Matsumoto picked up an empty sake bottle and spun it on the table, as everyone held their breath in suspense, wondering who would be her first victim. Matsumoto was a bit high on sake and it was clear to everyone that she would be making up the most outrageous dares. The bottle pointed at Tayomi, much to everyone's delight. It was a good chance to have fun with the new Captain of the 5th Division. Tayomi laughed and chose 'Truth'.

"Tayomi-chan…" Matsumoto asked cheekily, still sober. "Are you in love with anyone in this circle?"

"Eh…" Tayomi blushed, fully aware that she had to tell the truth. "Yes…"

The whole circle was in an uproar and they started to buzz with excitement, wondering who it possibly was. Hitsugaya was curious as well, hoping it was him. Tayomi had not really spoken to him or connected with him at a personal level, ever since her return. He had to admit that he missed the affection she used to show him and wondered if the boy she was referring to was him. Perhaps it was Hisagi? They shared a good relationship and he had spotted them chatting together happily in the afternoon. He secretly hoped that that possibility was not a reality. Just then, Tayomi spun the bottle and it landed on him. Matsumoto screamed with joy, speaking on her Captain's behalf and saying that he would pick a dare. Hitsugaya glared at Matsumoto, knowing that there was no way that she would go easy on him.

"Taicho…" Matsumoto had a sly grin on her face and it was clear that she was high on sake. "Kiss Tayomi-chan… On the lips…"

"Matsumoto…" He growled. "You're high on sake…"

"Hitsugaya Taicho, just do it!" Shunsui laughed, adjusting his straw hat. "You're both young, so it's perfectly alright…"

Nanao took out her book and whacked her Captain on the head. Hitsugaya looked at everyone. Hinamori was smiling happily, Matsumoto was obviously still high on sake, Kira was smiling, Renji gave him a thumbs-up sign, Hisagi did the same and Yachiru was jumping up and down happily. Shunsui was laughing happily, Ukitake simply smiled nervously, Byakuya had the same stern expression, wondering what he was doing here and Kenpachi had the usual grin on his face. Matsumoto hurried her Captain eagerly and Hitsugaya turned to face Tayomi. She was staring right into his eyes and her cheeks began to turn bright red. He gazed at her for a moment, before tilting his head to the right, touching her cheeks with his left hand and laying his lips on hers. It felt absolutely amazing and his heart beat rapidly. He had not kissed her for fifty years and had been waiting to do so for such a long time. He ran his hand down her neck, before finally backing away slowly. They were both blushing and everyone stared at them in surprise. That kiss alone had taken at least a minute and Hitsugaya seemed to be enjoying himself for once. Matsumoto giggled, nudging her Captain and teasing him for finally showing an interest in girls. Hitsugaya glared at her angrily and sighed. He looked at Tayomi from the corner of his eye and saw her blushing.

* * *

The night was over at last and he heaved a sigh of relief. Matsumoto had really tortured him well, making him do all sorts of embarrassing things that made Tayomi's face turn red. Tayomi waved goodbye to everyone, before heading towards the 5th Division's barracks. Hinamori had returned to the Division's barracks before her, as she was exhausted from the day's work. Hitsugaya watched her walk, before running over to her and offering to walk her back. This time, she did not refuse and simply nodded. Matsumoto, Kira, Renji and Hisagi all smiled at each other, as their plan had proceeded flawlessly. Hitsugaya had finally taken the initiative.

Hitsugaya and Tayomi walked towards the 5th Division's barracks slowly. Although the distance between the 5th Division's barracks and the 8th Division's barracks was relatively short, but the walk seemed like an eternity. Hitsugaya looked at Tayomi, who was walking cheerfully, smiling to herself in content. After a brief moment of thoughts and awkward silences, he reached out his hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. Tayomi stopped in her tracks and looked at him. He smiled at her and walked her to the 5th Division's barracks. Though they did not speak to each other throughout the whole walk, they were both elated inside. Finally, they were outside. They stared at each other for a while, before Tayomi broke the silence.

"Goodnight, Hitsugaya Taicho…" She smiled and walked into the Division's barracks.

Hitsugaya watched her leave his sight. He sighed and headed back to his Division's barracks. He should have just caught her and told her how he felt. It would be improper of him if he were to rush into her room now. Walking away, he was disappointed in himself and promised himself that he would catch her the next time.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Awkward silence T.T Go Hitsugaya go! :D Alright, next chapter, we shall watch Matsumoto and Hinamori work their magical matchmaking skills and try to get their Captains together. Ultimately, Hitsugaya will still be taking the initiative and he finally pops the question! XD I can't keep them apart for too long, they've been separated for 50 years already...  
I've been updating quite slowly because of school, so don't be too shocked if you don't see a Chapter up everyday. I will try my best to update as quickly as possible. My exams are round the corner so T.T But I won't stop writing of course :D  
Hope you liked this chapter and please review! XD Thanks! ^.^


	18. Scheming and Plotting

**CHAPTER 18: SCHEMING AND PLOTTING**

Hinamori and Matsumoto came in early before the Lieutenant's meeting started, to discuss a very crucial matter. It had been a week since Tayomi had become Captain, yet Hitsugaya had not made his move. According to Matsumoto, he had been buried in paperwork for the whole week and Tayomi had her hands full with straightening out everything in the 5th Division. The 5th Division had been without a Captain ever since Aizen's betrayal and Tayomi had a lot of work to do, in order to restore the 5th Division to its former glory. Hinamori sighed and wondered what they could do.

Matsumoto rested her head on the table, while complaining about her Captain's lack of initiative despite watching so many romance DVDs. Hinamori lay on the table as well, telling Matsumoto that Tayomi was probably playing hard to get and waiting for Hitsugaya to ask her. She poked Matsumoto, emphasising on the importance of Hitsugaya taking the initiative. Matsumoto groaned sleepily, fully aware that she had to create a chance for her Captain. She questioned Hinamori curiously, wondering if Tayomi was really in love with Hitsugaya. Hinamori nodded her head eagerly, assuring Matsumoto that Tayomi was interested in him. Matsumoto got up and poked Hinamori, telling her to 'interrogate' Tayomi and find out what she wants from Hitsugaya, before they made further plans.

* * *

"Yomi-chan, do you still like Shiro-chan?"

Tayomi looked at Hinamori in shock, before resting her head on her table and nodding her head sadly. Hitsugaya had not looked for her ever since he kissed her that night and she wondered if he was so embarrassed, that he did not even want to look at her. She sighed, feeling so messed up inside. She was dying to know if Hitsugaya was still in love with her, just like he was fifty years ago. When he kissed her, she could feel something magical happening between them and her heart instantly lighted up, beating much faster than it usually did. He had kissed her with so much passion that night and she thought that he still loved her. But he had not looked for her or spoken to her for a week and her heart fell, thinking that it was just her imagination, her wishful thinking.

"Then, if Shiro-chan was still interested in you, what would you want from him?"

"I just want him to love me…" Tayomi mumbled. "Be nice to me, give me flowers and ask me to be his girlfriend… Something along those lines, I guess. But that's never going to happen. It's been fifty years and his feelings towards me have probably changed… Hina-chan, I feel so sad… I'm going to spend the rest my life staining my paper work with tears…"

Matsumoto stood outside Tayomi's office, eavesdropping on her conversation with Hinamori. Now, she knew what Tayomi wanted. As her close friend, she would assume the role of their matchmaker and make it work somehow. The problem lay with her stubborn Captain. Somehow, she had to convince him to take the initiative, boldly grab Tayomi and profess his feelings towards her, through words and actions. Firstly, she had to create a romantic environment for them. The first thing that came to her mind was her Captain's room. She knew that Tayomi used to be from the 4th Division and was good at healing injuries. Maybe if her Captain was hurt, she could create a chance for them? Grinning to herself, she decided to stick to that idea and would tell Hinamori once she had the chance to.

* * *

"Taicho…" Matusmoto nudged Hitsugaya for the tenth time that day. "If I told you that Tayomi-chan still liked you, what would you do?"

Hitsugaya stared at his Lieutenant for a moment, still in shock about what she had just said. He wondered if Matsumoto was hinting something, or just up to her usual tricks again. Grumbling, he did not reply and warned her not to play matchmaker. Matsumoto slapped her Captain in the head again.

"Taicho! This concerns your lifelong happiness!" She shouted. "If you aren't going to get it yourself, who's going to help you get it?"

"I don't need to be happy…" Hitsugaya grumbled. "As long as I fulfil my duties as the Captain of the 10th Division, I'm fine with it…"

"Right!" Matsumoto shook her head disbelievingly. "If Tayomi-chan went out with someone else instead of you, you would be perfectly fine with it! So maybe… If Tayomi-chan went out with Hisagi, you would be unaffected by it?"

HISAGI? Hitsugaya's eyes grew wide and his heart beat increased. He started to panic and feel devastated inside. Hisagi and Tayomi had always been very close, seeing them hug each other was already enough to get him jealous. But if they did more than that, could he take it? Excluding the fact that they had a great difference in height, Tayomi and Hisagi seemed well-suited for each other, both having black hair and good looks. Also, they seemed more than just normal friends. Hitsugaya's heart fell, as he considered the possibilities of losing Tayomi to Hisagi. He could not imagine his life without her. The past fifty years had already been a torture to him and when she returned, he thought the nightmare was finally over. If he were to lose her again, he would feel like it was the end of the world. Matsumoto looked at her Captain's solemn expression, before smiling.

"Taicho, I told Tayomi-chan that you accidentally hurt yourself during training again!" Matsumoto exclaimed.

"WHAT?" Hitsugaya slammed his palm against the table and stood up in shock. "Why did you tell her that?"

"Why not? Anyway, she's coming this afternoon to heal your injury…"

"MATSUMOTO!"

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door.

"Taicho!" Matusmoto hurried Hitsugaya into his room. "Good luck! Don't blow your chance!"

* * *

Tayomi entered Hitsugaya's room nervously. She saw him sitting on his bed, his eyes completely glued onto her. According to Matsumoto, he had hurt himself during training. _That's just typical Susu-chan…_ She sighed and looked at him. Hitsugaya's eyes were burning into hers again and she tried to smile, before asking him where his injury was. He pointed to his back and Tayomi blushed. It reminded her of the incident where he had injured himself during a mission and she had to heal him. She had to take his shirt off for him and it was so awkward, that their faces turned bright red. Hitsugaya undressed himself, revealing his upper body to her again, just like he did about eighty years ago. He still looked as strong as ever and Tayomi tried to steer her attention away from his muscles, walking behind him. A green light appeared over his wound, as she focused all her energy onto healing it. She wondered how he managed to injure himself. The wound ran across his back diagonally towards the left and it was not very deep, but it was definitely big. He probably was not injured by his subordinates, since it was considered treason to assault a Captain.

"Alright!" She smiled happily to herself, as she walked back in front of him. "All done!"

Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment, wondering what he should do now. As much as he hated how Matsumoto interfered with their relationship, she was right. He could not afford to blow his chance again. He had to catch her. It was now or never. There was no way he could allow himself to live through the pain of being without her again. Even if she rejected him in the end, he would be happy enough if he had at least tried to profess his love to her. He knew that if he did not do it now, he could never forgive himself. Hitsugaya gazed into Tayomi's eyes, looking very serious. The girl that he had loved for the longest time was standing right in front of him. She had been gone for fifty years and had returned at last. He had to do something. He had to hold her, because he never wanted to let her go again, like he did fifty years ago.

Hitsugaya grabbed Tayomi's hand and pulled her towards his body, holding her close to him. Tayomi was shocked, as she felt his hand run down her back. Somehow, the position they were in felt so wrong again. Now they were both sitting on his bed, Hitsugaya did not have his shirt on and he was hugging her tightly. She tried to push him away from her gently, not wanting to end up doing something completely inappropriate, but he held her so tightly that she could not break away from him.

"Tayomi…" Hitsugaya bravely spoke. "Don't go. I've been waiting for you for fifty years already. For the past five decades, everyone believed you were dead, but I knew you weren't. You promised me before you left that you'd come back here alive and that you'd never forget me. You'd never forget us. I still remember that day when you told me the news, you were crying till you could not say a word. I… I don't want to see you so upset again. When I saw that video of you, I was devastated… I felt like a complete failure, because I failed in my duty. I failed to protect you. I've been waiting to reunite with you for such a long time and I've waited so long for that day. I just want to say that… I never stopped waiting for you… I never stopped loving you all these years, because you'll always be the only girl in my heart. I mean it from the bottom of my heart… When you came back, I knew I had to hold you tight, because I never wanted to let you go again. Tayomi… I… I love you…"

Once he was done talking, Tayomi began to feel her tears trickling down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around his waist, not bothered with the fact that he was shirtless. It had been fifty years… She had been waiting for him to say that ever since she returned.

"Susu-chan…" Tayomi wept happy tears as she spoke. "You idiot… You took so long to say that…"

"I'm not letting you go, ever again."

"Same here… Because… I love you too…" She could see her tears dripping down her face, onto his back.

Hitsugaya and Tayomi backed away slowly, before he held her hands tight. He had to ask her now. He simply had to.

"Will you…" He blushed as he said it. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Of course…" Tayomi giggled, happy that he had finally asked her. "Of course I will!"

Hitsugaya smiled and looked at her. At the same time, he held her close to him and she threw her arms around his neck. They locked lips, with happy tears streaming down their faces. She could feel his soft lips pressing on hers and it felt amazing, just like the first time they kissed. Hinamori and Matsumoto had their ears pressed against the door, overhearing every single thing Hitsugaya said. They smiled at each other. Things had worked out very well indeed. After so many years of waiting, Hitsugaya and Tayomi were finally together.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**ALRIGHT! YAY! YAY! YAYYYY! THEY'RE FINALLY TOGETHER! :D Well done, Hitsugaya Taicho! XD I am so proud of you right now ^.^  
So after 49 wonderful chapters, they are FINALLY, OFFICIALLY TOGETHER! :D  
Next Chapter, we shall find out exactly what happened to Aizen. I haven't been talking about Aizen for the past few chapters, so let's find out what happened to him :D  
Hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	19. Aizen's Plot and Office Time

**CHAPTER 19: AIZEN'S PLOT AND OFFICE TIME**

Aizen sat in the Espada meeting room in Las Noches, as his servants healed his injuries for him. Ichimaru simply stood beside him, grinning widely even though he was secretly mourning the loss of Tousen. Yammy sat in the same room, in his chair, grumbling all the way. He was absolutely fuming over the fact that he had not managed to kill Kenpachi and Byakuya. Right after Aizen's defeat, the Omnitsukido arrived and dragged every single Shinigami who was in Hueco Mundo out, as well as Ishida, Chad and Orihime. With his fight left unfinished and his opponents still alive, Yammy banged the table with his fist, swearing to kill off those Shinigami if they ever met again.

Aizen sighed as he recalled the events that had taken place. Just as he started having fun showing off his tremendous power, killing off everyone that came his way, Ichigo had to appear. The cards had told him that he was meant to rule over every being and he was confident in becoming the most powerful being on the face of the universe. Ichigo had appeared and they engaged in battle. Ichimaru stood at the side, watching their fight unfold. Suddenly, Ichigo lashed out at him with what he claimed to be 'The Final Getsuga Tenshou', knocking him backwards. Ichimaru wanted to help out, but he refused, still firmly believing that as the King, as someone who stood above everyone else, no one could be more powerful than he was. He was invincible with the Hougyoku. Well, at least until he realised that Ichigo's 'Final Getsuga Tenshou' had cut through his clothing, shattering the Hougyoku. He looked at the broken Hougyoku in pure shock and Ichigo took the chance, charging towards him and slashing him non-stop. He had no chance to use his Shikai and confuse Ichigo. With one more 'Final Getsuga Tenshou', he was sent flying backwards. He was defeated. The King of the Universe… DEFEATED! Ichigo left the battlefield, embracing his victory by picking up his precious Zanpakutou and smashing it against the wall. Ichimaru immediately opened the Garganta once he left, helping him back to Las Noches.

"I refuse to admit defeat." Aizen muttered, stroking his cracked Kyoka Suigetsu. "I will make my comeback and reduce the whole of Soul Society into rubble."

"Ah, Aizen Taicho…" Ichimaru smiled. "How are you going to do that? There's only one Espada left…"

"Espada Zero, Yammy Riyalgo? The Captains of the Gotei 13 already had enough trouble with my top three Espada!" Aizen smirked. "Yammy, are you up for some destruction?"

Yammy looked at Aizen, his eyes filled with evil. If Aizen were to send him to Soul Society, he could make a fool out of those Shinigami. He would kill that blasted, spiky haired Shinigami who dared to slash him. He would kill every single Shinigami there. Soul Society would become his playground. Those cursed Shinigami would pay for making him spill a drop of blood. Who cared if there were so many of them against him? With his power and strength, he would crush them just like ants. Yammy had an evil grin on his face, waiting for Aizen to give his order.

"Once you are fully healed, you will set off for Soul Society and crush everyone there."

* * *

Tayomi looked through the pile of paperwork on her desk. After the Captain's meeting, her subordinates had handed in all of their reports, flooding her desk. Sighing, she picked up her pencil and skimmed through every report carefully, editing them with her pencil. It had been a month since she took over the 5th Division and things were looking up. The 5th Division's morale had took a good turn as they treated their work seriously, handing in their reports on time and having a positive attitude during missions. She had managed to gain their respect and all her subordinates shared a good relationship with her. The 5th Division had been steered back on track and Hinamori seemed to have forgotten Aizen. Aizen had caused a great deal of pain to Hinamori and Tayomi wanted to make sure that Hinamori kept that jerk out of her mind.

Just then, Hitsugaya entered her office. He greeted Hinamori, who smiled at him and left the room, letting the two of them have some time alone. Tayomi was fully focused on her paperwork, as her eyes ran across the finely printed words on each page. Hitsugaya stood in front of her desk, staring at her. He had never seen her work so hard before. She grumbled, leaning back in her chair and holding the report up in her face. Hitsugaya observed her actions silently, wondering when she would realise his presence. She twirled her pencil with her fingers, before setting the report down on her desk and editing it. _There are quite a few spelling mistakes in this report… _After an hour of hard work and effort, she was finally done with her paperwork. Giving a sigh of satisfaction, she rested her head on the table, with her left ear pressing on her left elbow. She could not care where she was sleeping. She was exhausted after torturing her eyes with the tiny words on the reports. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she saw Hitsugaya walk into her view. She stood up sleepily, yawning. Hitsugaya took out her stuffed bunny, the stuffed bunny that he had been secretly sleeping with for the past fifty years. Tayomi smiled, cuddling the bunny that she thought had disappeared into thin air.

"I'm sleepy…" She yawned.

"Then sleep…" Hitsugaya smiled. "Maybe you'd grow taller after that."

"Yeah…" She mumbled. "And I'll end up taller than you…"

Hitsugaya gazed at her for a moment, before holding her in his arms and letting her lean on him. Tayomi closed her eyes, smiling and hugging her bunny. For some strange reason, leaning on Hitsugaya was especially comfortable. He held her hand and they sat on the sofa in her office together. She fell asleep on his lap, hugging her pink bunny. Hitsugaya stroked her hair as he watched her sleep. Even though he had been watching her for the past hour, he was not bored. Matsumoto was about to enter Tayomi's office and tease her Captain, when Hinamori held her back abruptly. She grabbed Matsumoto's hand eagerly, before slowly pushing open the door and letting Matsumoto peep at their Captains having a moment together. They looked at Tayomi sleeping on Hitsugaya's lap and squealed in delight. Watching their Captains having a romantic moment was so adorable.

Half an hour later, Tayomi woke up and saw Hitsugaya staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me?" She smiled.

"If you don't want me to stare, I can just look away…" Hitsugaya mumbled.

"You're jealous of my bunny!"

"No…"

Tayomi giggled and got up to give Hitsugaya a cuddle. She ruffled his hair, still giggling. Hitsugaya wondered if she was alright as she continued laughing while she played with his hair. She interlocked her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulder. Hitsugaya kissed her forehead and they stared into space together.

"I knew it. You were jealous of my bunny." She spoke, still sleepy.

"You're really cute."

"Susu-chan is the most adorable boy in the whole world…" She sighed, before using her fingers to force a smile onto his face. "If only he could smile more…"

"You should just continue sleeping…" Hitsugaya grumbled. "You're obviously tired."

"Make me."

Hitsugaya picked her up and carried her, causing her to squeak a little. He carried her all the way to her bed and put her down. He covered her with her blanket and knelt down beside her bed, running his fingers through her soft hair. Tayomi laughed, telling him that he made her feel like his daughter. He snickered and kissed her on her lips, telling her that he would stay with her until she fell asleep. She reached out for his hand and held it, before closing her eyes and falling asleep. Hitsugaya watched her sleep, before stroking her hair and leaving the room. He saw Matsumoto and Hinamori outside the room, giggling to themselves. Matsumoto playfully nudged her Captain, complimenting him on a job well done. Hitsugaya sighed, before returning to his Division's barracks.

An hour later, Hinamori entered her Captain's room and saw Tayomi lying on her bed, wide awake. She appeared to be deep in thought, but smiled once she saw her Lieutenant smiling at her. Immediately throwing off her covers, she ran to the 10th Division's barracks, where Hitsugaya was. He looked surprised to see her and her serious expression. She told him that she had just remembered something and wanted to ask him about it. He nodded and Tayomi asked him what had happened to Aizen. Hitsugaya sighed, telling her that the Substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo, had defeated Aizen. Aizen's Zanpakutou, Kyoka Suigetsu, was broken and he was unable to use it for a period of time, until his Zanpakutou recovered. Though Aizen was defeated and Ichigo had emerged victorious, Aizen was not dead. Ichimaru had carried him off somewhere and they were all told to be prepared, because Aizen would definitely make his comeback and take revenge upon Soul Society. As for Tousen, he hollowfied and was now dead. Tayomi nodded.

"Aizen was the one responsible for the massacre that year…" Tayomi sighed. "He's going to have to pay for killing the whole team."

"I know." Hitsugaya grabbed her hand tightly. "Actually, the one he was after… It was you. You were his main target. That's why you have to be careful and I will protect you no matter what. I swear, I will not let Aizen touch you."

"I can fend for myself…" Tayomi smiled. "I'll protect you too!"

"You don't have to." Hitsugaya replied. "As your boyfriend, I will protect you."

Hitsugaya hugged her tight, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Aizen will never get the chance to hurt you."

* * *

Aizen and Ichimaru sat in the Espada meeting room with their last Espada, Yammy. Yammy's injuries were fully healed and his wounds had been treated. Aizen and Ichimaru had decided to enter Soul Society along with Yammy, not caring if Kyoka Suigetsu was broken. Aizen firmly believed that he was the King. No one would get in his way from ruling over every being in the Universe. This time, no one would get the chance to stop him. He would crush them all. He would kill Yamamoto and every single person in the Gotei 13. Then, he would look for Kurosaki Ichigo and destroy his life.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

YAY well then, let's get the show on the road! LET'S HAVE TAYOMI FIGHT YAMMY. And watch Yammy get beaten by someone who is so much smaller than him :D It's quite obvious that I find Yammy very irritating XD He should stop being so...vulgar and idiotic and yeah... ^.^  
Hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	20. Tayomi VS Yammy

**CHAPTER 20: TAYOMI VS YAMMY**

Yumichika, Ikkaku, Renji and Matsumoto gathered in Hitsugaya's office. They were all equally curious, not knowing the exact reason why Captain Hitsugaya would call them here. Matsumoto was in her own Division, so she did not feel out of place. As for the other three, they felt strange, wondering what they were doing Captain Hitsugaya's office while preparing and training for Aizen's comeback. Just then, Hitsugaya entered his office, nodding at his subordinates. He had gathered his team who entered the Human World with him, after Ichigo was attacked by Aizen's Espada and Captain-commander Yamamoto sent them there to find out more about the situation. He sighed and explained that Aizen was likely to be heading to Soul Society today. Sitting back on his chair, he told them that he would be entrusting a very important task to them. Just then, Tayomi entered his office, wondering why he had called her here.

"I want you to protect her." Hitsugaya ordered, pointing at Tayomi.

"But Susu-chan…" Tayomi protested. "I…"

"No buts." Hitsugaya walked up to her, covering her mouth with his palm. "I'm going to make sure that Aizen won't ever get the chance to lay a finger on you."

Tayomi continued persuading Hitsugaya that she did not need protection, even though his hand was still cupped over her mouth, muffling her voice. Yumichika, Ikkaku, Renji and Matsumoto all stared blankly, as Hitsugaya and Tayomi squabbled. Tayomi forced Hitsugaya's hand off her mouth, arguing that she was now a Captain and she could protect herself. Hitsugaya sighed and grabbed her hands, persuading her to let him protect her. Matsumoto sighed in satisfaction, proud of her Captain. Renji shook his head, laughing to himself silently. Yumichika muttered to himself about how beautiful Hitsugaya and Tayomi looked when they were arguing. Ikkaku simply rubbed his shiny, bald head. Tayomi sighed and nodded her head. Hitsugaya smiled and patted her head, before nodding at his subordinates and leaving his office. The five of them stared at each other, before Yumichika finally broke the silence.

"I must say, Tayomi Taicho, you do know how to dress quite well!" He flicked his hair. "Finally, a Captain with a decent sense of style!"

"Tayomi Taicho, rest assured that we will protect you, under Hitsugaya Taicho's instructions." Ikkaku bowed.

"It's alright…" Tayomi smiled. "You all don't really have to protect me… I'm a Taicho after all. I should be looking after all of you instead!"

Just then, a hell butterfly entered the office and landed on Tayomi's finger. Aizen was here. Ichimaru was here. Yammy was here. Along with a whole army of hollows from Hueco Mundo. Matsumoto sighed, upon hearing Ichimaru's name. Tayomi noticed it and remembered someone mentioning to her Matsumoto's relationship with Ichimaru. Apparently, they were really close and Matsumoto seemed devastated when he defected from Soul Society. The way she saw it, she was sure that Matsumoto was in love with Ichimaru. She was furious inside. Tayomi hated irresponsible boys. Nodding at her subordinates, Tayomi ran out of Hitsugaya's office, bumping into Hitsugaya. She took a deep breath. The battle was about to begin. The six of them ran out of the 10th Division's barracks, coming face to face with hundreds of hollows rampaging the corridors of the Gotei 13 headquarters. Unsheathing their Zanpakutous, they began slicing through every single hollow rapidly. Every Division in the Gotei 13 had been mobilised in order to destroy the intruding hollows. As they were the closest to the Espada, Captain-commander Yamamoto had ordered Hitsugaya and Tayomi to distract Aizen, while the other Captains rushed to the scene.

* * *

They ran into the other Captains of the Gotei 13, who were surrounding a giant Arrancar whose head was as shiny as Ikkaku's. He had sideburns, as well as a ponytail on the back of his head. He had an arrogant look on his face, smirking all the way. Beside him stood Aizen and Ichimaru, with Aizen having an evil grin plastered onto his face. Ichimaru grinned, just like he did in the past. All the Captains glared at the three intruders, especially the mastermind. Hitsugaya attempted to grab Tayomi's hand, but noticed that she had disappeared. Inside, he began to panic and looked at his subordinates. Matsumoto shrugged, Renji's eyes were wide, Ikkaku and Yumichika looked serious. Aizen laughed, mocking the Captains and the fact that their military power was still as 'pathetic' as ever. Soi Fon smirked, telling Aizen that they had gotten a new Captain. Aizen seemed amused and asked for the new Captain to show his face.

"What makes you think that the new Captain is a male, Aizen?" A voice spoke up.

Aizen turned around and saw a small-sized girl sitting up high on the rooftop, smiling at him. She wore a pink hairband in her long black hair, wearing a black skirt instead of the standard hakama. Her Zanpakutou had a yellow and sky blue hilt and was tucked in white sash. She had purplish-blue eyes and well-defined features, making her look beautiful and adorable, somewhat like a young girl. He noticed that she wore a sleeveless haori and he concluded that she was probably the new Captain that Soi Fon was talking about.

"Who are you?" Aizen asked. "Which Division are you from?"

"I'm from the 5th Division. And are you sure you don't remember me?"

Hitsugaya sighed. There she was. He wondered how she managed to climb up onto the roof. Aizen face was devoid of emotion and it appeared that he had forgotten who she was.

"It appears that you're suffering from memory loss… So, let me remind you who I am." She sighed. "Hadou 31, Shakkaho!"

The red blast of fire narrowly missed Aizen by a few centimetres. Aizen's eyes grew wide. That Kidou spell… It could only be fired with such strength by one person. It was the person he had been trying to get rid of and had gotten rid of fifty years ago.

"You thought I was dead, didn't you?" Tayomi smirked, her voice full of sacarsm. "It was nice of you to send those assassins for my life and have them kill everyone else under the Special Training Program… It was really nice of you to do that, Aizen."

Tayomi jumped off from the roof and rejoined the Captains. Hitsugaya squeezed her hand tightly, reluctant to let go. Aizen smirked and used Shunpo to escape, along with Ichimaru. Yammy cackled, knowing what Aizen meant. It was time for him to do some destruction. Shouting 'suerte', he laughed, his laughter full of complacency as he challenged the Captains to a battle. Tayomi briefly thought for a moment. _Every single Captain in the Gotei 13 has done something in the battle against Aizen, but I haven't done anything. I have to do something. I know I have to._ Turning to Captain-commander Yamamoto, she volunteered to fight Yammy. Hitsugaya looked at her in shock, wanting to hold her back but once he saw her determined face, he offered to back her up. Tayomi nodded, as Ukitake offered to back her up as well. Some of the Captains disappeared, off to chase after Aizen and Ichimaru, while the other Captains stayed within the premises to offer assistance if needed. They stood back, well-aware that there would be a lot of destruction. For the fight, Tayomi would be taking the lead.

* * *

"Suerte!" Yammy laughed. "I've gotten insects as opponents today! Insects to crush and stomp on!"

Tayomi glared at him. All the Captains at the scene stared at her furious expression. If there was one thing that was obvious, it was that Tayomi hated it when her opponents drag her height in and relate it to her abilities. _He… just… insulted… me…_ She unsheathed her Zanpakutou, still glaring at Yammy, straight into his eyes. She released Inazuma Kaze, just as Yammy went into Resurreccion. Hitsugaya and Ukitake released their Zanpakutous as well, waiting for either Tayomi or Yammy to make the first move. As she had predicted, Yammy started off the battle, by firing a series of Bala at her. She neatly dodged every single one of them, before appearing behind him and slashing him with all her might. His hierro was exceedingly tough as it had only created a small cut. _I'll have to slash him more times. _Yammy fired Bala at her and she narrowly dodged it, as it created a huge gash on her arm. Her wound began bleeding and all the Captains stared at her, preparing to enter the battle. She shook her head, trying to tell them that she was alright. Raising her arm, she decided to use Kidou.

"Hadou 91, Senju Koten Taiho!"

That spell was able to damage Yammy, as his arm began to spew blood. Hitsugaya sent an ice dragon flying at him, hoping that it might stop Yammy from growing bigger. Unfortunately, it did not work. Yammy was enraged and swelled in size.

"Damn, you midget! That hurt!"

Tayomi chose not to reply him, even though inside, she was more enraged than he was. She sent lightning darts flying at Yammy's wound, effectively separating his arm from his body. The whole battleground was already stained with blood, belonging both to Yammy and Tayomi. Yammy had fired a Cero at her, which she escaped, but had created a wound on her arm. Now, both her arms were stained red, as blood dripped down her arms, falling onto the ground in drops. She was already contemplating bringing it out on him, but decided to stick longer with her Shikai.

Yammy fired another Cero at her, sending Tayomi flying backwards. She crashed through five buildings and she could feel her body beginning to hurt, but she knew she had to fight on. In fact, she could fight on. But that would mean bringing it out on Yammy. She was quite determined to avoid using it on such a brainless, lowlife brute like Yammy. His arrogance irritated her, as she watched him cackle like a madman, acting as if he had already won the fight. Hitsugaya was enraged and immediately went into Bankai. As Yammy attempted to fire another Cero and destroy the battleground further, Ukitake interfered with his Zanpakutou, absorbing Yammy's Cero and firing it back at Yammy in the face. With three people involved in the fight, Hitsugaya was sure that he had enough time to attempt to set up the 'Sennen Hyoro*'. He flew over to Tayomi, worried about her injuries. She got up and smiled.

"I think I might have to bring it all out on him…" She laughed weakly. "Wish me luck!"

"Is that all you've got, Taicho?" Yammy smirked. "Who exactly are you, Taicho?"

"Didn't you hear, you pea-brain?" Tayomi smiled. "Captain of the 5th Division, Tayomi Sakuri."

"Espada 0, Yammy Riyalgo." Yammy grinned. "Where's your Bankai, Taicho? Don't tell me you don't have one!"

"I was trying to avoid using it on brutes like you, but since you want to see it… Fine." Tayomi sighed. "You should be honoured, because it's not easy to make me use Bankai on my opponents. You'd better not regret after I use it."

"Ha!" Yammy snickered. "Bankai or not, it won't make a difference. You'll still wind up dead, lying in a pool of blood!"

"We'll see about that."

Tayomi raised her blade horizontally, as her eyes turned light purple. She began to glow pale yellow, as her reiatsu manifested and lightning bolts ejected out of her body. Softly but surely, she spoke, creating a huge explosion and covering the whole battlefield in smoke once she said it.

"Bankai."

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***Sennen Hyoro: Thousand Years' Ice Prison

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY! :D I hope you all are excited to see Tayomi's Bankai XD As expected, due to her young age, her Bankai will be incomplete as well... Exactly how its 'incomplete-ness' affects her strength, it'll be explained in the later chapters :) BANKAI!  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^  
Oh and after the fight with Yammy, I intend to do a special Omake chapter and let all the characters in this FanFiction get involved in a game of Truth or Dare :D So start sending in your burning questions and dares! XD Chapter 23 shall be an embarrassing, fun, crazy session! :D


	21. Tayomi VS Yammy Part 2

**CHAPTER 21: TAYOMI VS YAMMY PART 2**

The Captains at the battleground covered their eyes with their sleeves immediately, shocked by the sudden explosion. The sky began to turn dark grey, with hints of blue in it and lightning streaked across the sky incessantly, with the rumble of thunder following it. Raindrops began to fall, crashing against every single surface hard. Hitsugaya looked up at the sky, instantly realising that Tayomi's Zanpakutou could affect the weather as well. He stared at her, waiting for the smoke to clear. It was obvious that he was excited to see her Bankai. Captain Soi Fon, Ukitake and Shunsui nodded at Tayomi, confident of her Bankai's abilities.

"Inazuma Arashi."

The smoke finally cleared and Tayomi took a deep breath, ready to use her Bankai in front of everyone for the first time. Her Zanpakutou had transformed into a long, single, glowing yellow blade, surrounded by lightning. The hilt was glowing as well, glowing blue and yellow. The ribbon and chain attached to the hilt had extended greatly and glowed as well. Tayomi's eyes were light purple in colour and she raised her blade, ready to continue her fight with Yammy. Hitsugaya gazed at her in awe, not disappointed by her Bankai at all. Ukitake smiled, feeling very proud of the girl he treated as his daughter. She gripped her Zanpakutou as her heart burned with rage, while watching Yammy cackle and continue taunting her, mocking her Bankai. He raised his fist and laughed heartily, sure that he would crush his tiny opponent. Tayomi's face was devoid of any emotion but anger, as her eyebrows pointed downwards and a smile was completely wiped off her face. Yammy's fist slammed down onto her. Hitsugaya screamed, but Ukitake stood his ground, not moving an inch, knowing that Tayomi would be fine.

"TAYOMI!"

Yammy grinned as he felt his fist crash into something. However, he did not feel himself crush anything. With a shocked look on his face, he lifted up his fist and saw Tayomi surrounded by a yellow orb of lightning. The lightning orb had protected her, preventing her from taking any damage. Yammy thought that she was just lucky and continued pummelling Tayomi with his fists, confident that he would crush her in the next hit. His effort was futile as he felt the same feeling all over again, seeing Tayomi completely unharmed by his attacks. Enraged, he began to swell in size as he fired numerous Balas at her, none of which managed to scratch her. Tayomi glared at him, while watching him attack her countless times, all of which did not manage to harm her. He growled in anger, before Tayomi finally opened her mouth to speak.

"Are you done yet?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, before vanishing and appearing behind Yammy in a split second, slashing his back and causing blood to pour out of his wound. In about three seconds, she managed to slash Yammy's back at least ten times and his leg at least five times. She landed carefully beside Hitsugaya, before swinging her blade diagonally downwards.

"Dageki Inazuma*."

Yammy watched in horror as his wounds began to glow, ejecting lightning bolts. He felt lightning bolts run through every single open wound and strike his veins and arteries, creating an absolutely burning, electrifying sensation. He screamed in pain as blood spewed from his wounds and he lost one of his legs. Kenpachi had an evil grin on his face as he watched the fight excitedly, while Soi Fon and Shunsui held him back, preventing him from entering the fray. Tayomi sent hundreds of lightning darts flying at Yammy's back with a swing of her katana and the darts stretched all across Yammy's back. Once their spikes stabbed into his flesh, blood began dripping down, creating more bloodshed. She sent another series of lightning darts at him, before appearing beside Hitsugaya and defending him from Yammy's attack. Yammy used Bala against the both of them and Tayomi's lightning orb reflected every single one of them, watching them bounce against her orb and fly towards Yammy, hitting him square in the face. Hitsugaya, who feared that Tayomi's defense was not permanent, wrapped his ice wings around the both of them, protecting the both of them from harm and letting his wings take the blow. The Bala had cracked his wings and Tayomi looked up at Hitsugaya, as he shielded her from the attack.

"I told you I'd protect you." He smiled. "Once he's done with his attack, go get him."

"Okay." Tayomi smiled at him and they kissed, while Yammy continued attacking them and Hitsugaya's ice wings were still around them, protecting them. Even though it was dark and Tayomi missed his lips quite a few times, the first try ending up on his neck and the second on his cheek. On the third try, she finally found his lips and kissed it, as she felt the tip of his tongue touch hers. Their lips were merely touching once they felt Yammy's attacks cease. They both knew that once they came out, Yammy would probably fire a Cero at them. Holding hands, they used Shunpo and disappeared, just as Yammy fired a Cero at them. They met Ukitake on the nearby rooftop, discussing their plans.

"I'm going to try and set up Sennen Hyoro… So for the time being, you'll have to distract them." Hitsugaya turned to Tayomi and patted her head. "Please be careful…"

"Don't worry, Hitsugaya Taicho." Ukitake nodded. "I will protect Tayomi-chan."

"I…don't need that much protection…" Tayomi sighed.

Tayomi appeared right before Yammy's eyes and sent a lightning arrow flying at him. Yammy swelled in rage, but realised that his size was no longer increasing. He tried once more, but failed. His size was not growing even though his anger had grown. Tayomi smiled, delighted that her deduction was correct. She sent another lightning arrow at his leg, effectively causing Yammy to lose his second leg in the fight. Yammy attempted to crush her with his fists once again, failing to do so. He was absolutely fuming right now, yet his size had not increased at all.

"If you're wondering why your size has not increased a bit…" Tayomi spoke, landing on the ground twelve metres away from Yammy. "It's because I managed to figure out your ability. After observing your swelling, I realised that you began swelling in size whenever you were enraged, starting from your back. So I thought perhaps if your back was damaged enough, you could no longer swell in size. True enough, I was right. Two hundred of my lightning darts are stabbed right into your back, coupled with the slashes and the blow you took from 'Dageki Inazuma'. That should be more than enough to stop you from increasing your size further. Unlike you, I don't rely solely on my strength in battle. Yeah, strength can determine the outcome of a battle. But as I expected, you neglected a very important factor which affects the end result of a fight- Brains. You can't win a fight on brawl alone. You have to think hard and strategise as well. That is, of course, if you even know how to use your brain. Brutes like you will never, truly emerge victorious in a fight. I will never let brutes like you get the better of me. That's why I will tell you now, at the end of this fight, I will not be lying in my own pool of blood. Hitsugaya will not be lying in his pool of blood. Ukitake will not be lying in his pool of blood. You will."

Ukitake nodded, smiling at Tayomi. She twirled her Zanpakutou in her hands, before gripping it and slashing Yammy, doing away with another one of his legs. Yammy groaned in pain, his eyes burning with fury. He was determined not to be beaten by a puny little Shinigami like Tayomi. He was sure that he would not ever be deafeated by them. He would crush them. He definitely would.

"Sennen Hyoro."

Pillars of ice formed around Yammy and Hitsugaya appeared beside Tayomi, looking at her. He smiled at her, before turning his Zanpakutou ninety degrees counter-clockwise, causing the ice pillars to close and envelop Yammy, trapping him inside. Ukitake, Hitsugaya and Tayomi held their breath, wondering if Yammy had the strength to break out of the ice. A minute later, nothing happened. Tayomi cheered, hoping that the battle was over. She hugged Hitsugaya eagerly, about to celebrate their victory when the ice began to crack. Yammy emerged out of the ice and the three of them watched the ice pillars crumble as Yammy cackled. He quickly fired a Cero at the three of them, sending them flying backwards. Even with the lightning orb surrounding her, Yammy's Cero was strong enough to damage her. If she did not have the orb around her to weaken the damage, she would have been seriously injured. She struggled to get up, looking at Hitsugaya and Ukitake. The both of them were badly injured and bleeding. They opened their eyes weakly and slowly got up, trying to bear with their injuries. Tayomi felt blood dripping down the side of her face and a wound on her cheek.

"Taicho!" Yammy laughed. "Is that really all you've got? So much for your wonderful speech… I told you that you would all be lying in your own pools of blood, didn't I? Suerte! You may have damaged me, but I will crush all of you!"

Tayomi glared at Yammy as she saw Ukitake and Hitsugaya on their feet, panting as blood poured from their wounds. That image pierced her heart and she motioned for the both of them to stand back. Hitsugaya protested, reluctant to let her fight Yammy alone. She shot him a determined look and smiled, telling her she had something up her sleeve. Ukitake nodded and stood back, pulling Hitsugaya backwards. Hitsugaya struggled, unwilling to leave Tayomi's side. He wanted to protect her, he had to protect her.

"I meant what I said just now Yammy…" Tayomi huffed. "I said that you would be lying in your own pool of blood… Because you will be."

"Yeah, right!" Yammy threw his head back and cackled. "As if you could do that! Take a good look at yourself, Taicho! We both know that you're no match for me!"

"I think you've gotten our identities mixed up. I believe it should be you knowing you're no match for me. Get that into our skull, Yammy. Enjoy the pain"

She gripped her Zanpakutou, pointed it towards the sky and shouted the command, before pointing her blade at Yammy. The sky darkened and lightning flashed. The rain got heavier and storm worsened, as thunder sounded throughout the whole of Soul Society.

"Dageki, Inazuma Arashi**."

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***Dageki Inazuma: Lightning Strike  
** Dageki Inazuma Arashi: Strike, Lightning storm

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY YAY YAY! It's time for Tayomi's ultimate attack! WOO HOOOOOOOOO :D Yammy is in trouble! XD  
Oh and remember that Chapter 23 is a special Omake 'Truth or Dare' section... So please start sending in your 'truths' and 'dares' for any character that has appeared in 'Bleach: School Days & Frostbitten Lightning' and 'Bleach: Squad Life & Frostbitten Lightning' to me! You can put it in your review or drop me a message on FanFiction :D Please please please send in as many as you want XD I can't start Chapter 23 unless I get some truths and dares from you :) I'll be using all the truths and dares, to thank you all for supporting this story! :D  
I hope you liked this chapter! Please review and send in your burning questions and dares! Thanks! ^.^


	22. Dageki Inazuma Arashi

**CHAPTER 22: DAGEKI INAZUMA ARASHI**

Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou's hilt and inverted it, pointing her blade downwards. The tip of her blade glowed, as five balls of lightning emerged from it. The sky had turned pitch black and the clouds were navy blue in colour. Lightning continued streaking across the sky, but the thunder failed to follow with a loud rumble and remained silent. All of the Captains at the scene gasped in awe as the newest addition to their group unleashed all of her power upon her opponent, who towered over her. Tayomi grinned and looked up, glaring at Yammy, straight in the eye.

"All lightning will wreck havoc upon evil. All thunder will crash and unleash hell upon those with a black heart."

Slowly, she raised her blade and swung it, watching the five balls of lightning fly towards Yammy. They positioned themselves around him and ejected several lightning bolts, connecting each other and forming a pyramid around him. Yammy furiously pummelled against the walls of the lightning pyramid, making a futile attempt to break it. Tayomi's pyramid of lightning was practically indestructible and she knew that Yammy would be sealed inside it. She used Shunpo and dashed to every single corner of the pyramid, firing Kidou spells at each corner. Since the pyramid had five corners, she could use any five spells, regardless if it was a binding spell or a destruction spell. She was determined to destroy Yammy and felt that she had to go all out on destruction, ultimately deciding to use only destruction spells.

"Hadou 54, Haien!"

"Hadou 91, Senju Koten Taiho!"

"Hadou 90, Kurohitsugi!"

"Hadou 63, Soren Sokatsui!"

"Hadou 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!"

She jumped back to her original position and watched, as the Kidou spells seeped into the interior of the pyramid, starting to work its magic once it came into contact with Yammy's body. Shades of blue and purple blended in the lightning pyramid, attacking Yammy violently. She twirled her Zanpakutou in her hands, knowing that it was the right time to strike. Speeding towards Yammy, she jumped into the air, impaling her blade into the tip of the pyramid. Once she stabbed the lightning pyramid, it began to glow and lightning struck the center of the structure, right at Yammy. Also, the Kidou spells had exploded in the interior, with Yammy in it. The lightning pyramid then exploded, sending blood flying all over the battleground. With her head bowed down, Yammy's blood splattered at her hair. The Captains gasped once they realised that Tayomi's blade had pierced Yammy's brain. Hitsugaya smiled weakly and the other Captains seemed delighted. Tayomi pulled her Zanpakutou out of Yammy's brain, before doing a backflip and landing beside Hitsugaya. However, Yammy seemed unwilling to give up, as he tried to crush Tayomi with the last ounce of strength left in him. Hitsugaya spotted Yammy's fist coming towards Tayomi, who was completely unaware of Yammy's advance. He quickly held her in his arms and wrapped his ice wings around himself and her, defending them both from harm. He had promised to protect her and he knew he would, even at the cost of his own life. Tayomi was genuinely caught by surprise, not expecting Yammy to fight back. She could feel her legs weaken and her body lacking in energy, as she let Hitsugaya cradle her in his arms. She was aware of her spiritual energy and the fact that she had spent a lot of it in her fight with Yammy.

"Chire, Senbonzakura."

Byakuya's Zanpakutou's blade scattered, becoming a thousand pink cherry blossom petals which flew at Yammy. Once the blades sliced into Yammy's flesh, he dropped down to the ground, took his last breath and disintegrated. Yammy turned into dust and was blown away by the breeze. Hitsugaya's ice wings opened and all the Captains had returned to the battleground, aware that Aizen had escaped them again. Their attention was then steered to Hitsugaya and Tayomi. Hitsugaya's ice wings disappeared as he deactivated his Bankai, leaving him in the open air, holding Tayomi in his arms. Tayomi looked up at him weakly, before turning to Byakuya.

"Thank you… Kuchiki Taicho…" She smiled.

Byakuya nodded at her and she turned back, looking right at Hitsugaya's face. Using the little strength that was left in her body, she stroked Hitsugaya's face, smiling at him before her vision blurred and she passed out.

* * *

Tayomi awoke in the 4th Division's barracks and saw Captain Unohana smiling at her. She turned to her left and saw Hinamori smiling at her. Hinamori looked at her Captain in admiration, complimenting her on a job well done. Tayomi reached out and squeezed her hand. Yumichika, Ikkaku, Renji, Hisagi, Ukitake and Kira were smiling at her as well. Yumichika flicked his hair, Ikkaku nodded at her, Renji gave her a thumbs-up sign, Hisagi sighed in content, Kira heaved a sigh of relief and Ukitake continued to smile at her. Tayomi turned to her right and saw Hitsugaya clutching her hand tightly, fast asleep. Matsumoto stood beside him and waved at her. Tayomi waved back, delighted to see all her friends. Everyone left the room, letting the two Captains have a moment alone.

Tayomi ran her fingers through Hitsugaya's white hair and he woke up instantly, sensing that Tayomi had woken up. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Full of concern, she asked Hitsugaya how his injuries were. He nodded, telling her he was fine. She turned on her side, facing Hitsugaya. He held both of her hands, kissing them with affection before stroking her face. She sighed in content as Hitsugaya held her hands in his. Even though she was injured, it did not matter. He was here with her and that was enough. The fight with Yammy had been brutal and her body still ached all over. After all, she had crashed into everything in the area, crashed through everything in her surroundings and crashed onto the ground. The injuries she sustained before releasing Bankai were very serious and using her final attack, Dageki Inazuma Arashi, was draining on her reiatsu. It was a risky move, but she felt that it had been well worth it. Yammy was gone. Every Espada in Aizen's army had officially been eliminated.

"Susu-chan…" She giggled weakly. "How was I? How's my Bankai?"

"You were great." He replied coldly. "You should get more rest. I'll be staying with you till morning to make sure you sleep and recover quickly."

"Heh…" She laughed. "You don't really need to stay with me through the night… Do you miss me that much? You have five seconds to tell me everything!"

"Well…" Hitsugaya scratched his head. "I just can't bear to leave you right now. I'm going to hold your hand till the sun rises."

"But I want you to hold my hand forever…" Tayomi protested.

"I will…" Hitsugaya promised her. "I'll hold your hand forever and never let go."

"Yay…" Tayomi cheered weakly, as her body continued to hurt all over. "Susu-chan, come closer…"

Hitsugaya leaned in towards her, thinking that she wanted to ask him something, but had no strength to make her voice heard. Playfully, she kissed him on his lips gently, smiling at him. Hitsugaya sighed, before kissing her forehead and sitting back down on his chair. He picked up her hand and held it tight. Tayomi squeezed his hand and told him to cheer up, using her free hand to force a smile onto his face. She could feel his tears dripping onto her fingers and shot him a curious look, wondering why he was crying.

"When you fainted after the whole battle, I was so worried…" Hitsugaya admitted. "I nearly had a heart attack…"

"You idiot…" Tayomi could feel herself shed a few tears of her own as well. "Do you think I'd die that easily? I still have my reasons for living… I'm not going down without a fight… Stop crying, Susu-chan… You told me crying was for the weak. I'm a girl, so it's normal for me to cry…"

"Shut up, Sakuri…" Hitsugaya wiped away her tears. "I don't care… It doesn't matter whether you can fend for yourself or not. I still want to protect you. It's not only out of a sense of duty as your boyfriend, but it's because I love you…"

"Alright, alright…" Tayomi smiled and reached out her hand to wipe away the tears streaming down his face. "I'll let you protect me. I'll protect you too and you can't do anything about it, because I love you…"

Hitsugaya locked lips with her and held her hand tightly. No, he would never ever let go of her hand for the rest of his life. He would protect her from harm and no one would get the chance to hurt her. Yes, his love for her would definitely shield her from harm.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY now Yammy is gone :D All the Espada are dead... (I miss Ulquiorra and Grimmjow though T.T)  
Next chapter is CHAPTER 23! Which means it's time for TRUTH OR DARE! :D Send me your truths and dares, I'll be including every single one that's submitted XD Remember to submit some for Tayomi too lol ^.^ I can't start Chapter 23 unless I get some truths/dares... After a serious battle, we should let Soul Society have some FUN :D  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	23. Truth or Dare

**CHAPTER 23: TRUTH OR DARE**

*Take note: This chapter will be in script format, because there will be way too much talking going on :D *

The whole cast of 'Bleach: School Days and Frostbitten Lightning' and 'Bleach: Squad Life and Frostbitten Lightning' step into a mysterious, dark room precariously. A few days ago, they had been sent an anonymous letter, telling them to meet in that particular place. Suddenly, the lights come on and they spotted a tall girl with long black hair. She wore a hairclip on the right side of her hair, separating her hair from her bangs. Smiling, she waved enthusiastically at the whole cast, inviting them to all sit down in a circle. For the excited characters, like Tayomi and Matsumoto, they skipped happily and sat down beside the mysterious girl. As for the less enthusiastic characters, like Hitsugaya and Byakuya, they simply groaned and refused to move, until they were dragged down by Tayomi and Rukia respectively.

**WY: **Hi everyone! If you're confused and don't know who I am, I shall tell you now. I'm the author of this story. The one who made you all come to life and of course, created Tayomi and Kiseida!

**Tayomi: **My… Creator…

**Hitsugaya: **Explain why we are here. NOW.

**WY: **Simple. We're going to have some fun and play 'Truth or Dare', to thank all the amazing readers and those who reviewed!

**Matsumoto: **AWESOME! I love that game! OOH LET'S START LET'S START!

**WY: **Alright, but first, you all have to swear that everything that happens in this room and every single secret shall be kept within the circle.

_Everyone swears that everything that happens in the room and every single secret will be kept within the circle._

**WY: **Alright, let's kick things off then!

**Tayomi: **YAY!

**WY: **First one, from Tiryn…

"Ah man! I that was touching at the end! And I love the fight that you put in here! I have a few dares for a few captains!

Kuchiki (I'm gonna so torture these people :}): I dare you to be your little sister for one whole day without complaining ^-^ (Chappy!)

Zenpacki: I dare you to not get in a fight for one whole week and you cannot attack anyone for three days afterword ^^

Matsumoto: I dare you to not drink sake for a month and do all of your paperwork in that time period.

Tayomi: (truth) What was it like for you when you found out that Aizen, Gin, and Tousen betrayed the Soul Society?

Ukitake: (truth) What do you think of Tayomi's and Hitsugaya's relationship with each other?

Hitsugaya: (truth) What is the one thing that you do not like about Tayomi (I personally think that there's always one thing that couples disagree on)?

That's all I have at the moment. Hope you update soon ^-^"

**Byakuya: **Excuse me?

**Rukia: **(excitedly) YES! Nii-sama, here's my Chappy! I never let anyone hug it, but since it's Nii-sama, then HERE! And you need to do your hair differently too… Like me!

**Byakuya: **Rukia…

**WY: **You can't complain, Kuchiki Taicho…

**Rukia: **Yes, Nii-sama. Just bear with it. And here's my favourite dress! I'll let you wear it!

_Byakuya is shoved into the dressing room. A few minutes later, he comes out, looking like a tall, male version of Rukia…_

**Shunsui: **Oh my…

**Renji: **(gasps) Taicho…

**Yachiru: **(rolls on the floor laughing) HAHAHA! Byakushi became a girl!

_Byakuya sits down calmly, trying to control his anger._

**Kenpachi: **(slams his fist on the ground) WHAT? I CAN'T BEAT ANYONE UP? WHY?

**Yachiru: **But Ken-chan, you can beat up anyone you want after that week… For three days!

**Kenpachi: **ALRIGHT! Then once that week is over, I can restart my fight with Ichigo… And Kuchiki… (Starts fantasising about his future three-day killing spree)

**Ichigo: ** WAY. NO WAY.

**Matsumoto: **No sake for a month? And paper work? (drops to her knees and screams)

**Hitsugaya: ** Fantastic. Now I won't have a lazy drunkard as a Lieutenant for a month.

**Kira: **That sounds rather harsh, Hitsugaya Taicho…

**Hitsugaya: **But it's true!

**WY: **Tayomi! So how was it like when you found out about their betrayal?

**Tayomi: **Well… I wasn't really shocked about Ichimaru, since he had a really scary, freakishly smiley kind of look.

**Ichimaru: **Hey, that's kinda mean, Tayomi-chan!

**Tayomi: **As for Tousen… If he were a villain, I wouldn't be surprised if he turned bad with a group of people. I mean, if he were a villain on his own, it'll be hard on him…

**Tousen: **I understand where you're coming from. I am completely blinded… By Justice!

**Hisagi: **Tousen Taicho…

**Komamura: **Tousen…

**Tayomi: **Aizen was a big shock. But since he's bad, then I hate him! Because he injured the members of the Gotei 13! Most importantly, because he chopped off Susu-chan's left arm and leg! HE NEEDS TO DIE!

**Aizen: **(laughs) Inferior beings can be so hilarious….

**Tayomi: **SHUT UP AIZEN!

**WY: **Hm… Then Ukitake Taicho! Please share your thoughts on Tayomi and Hitsugaya's relationship with each other.

**Ukitake: **Well… Hitsugaya Taicho is a capable and well-respected Captain, so I definitely support them both! However, watching them can be a bit nerve-wrecking… For me, holding hands and hugging are normal, but kissing… I'm not so sure about it. I almost had a heart attack when Matsumoto Fuku-taicho dared them to kiss. Anyway, they don't kiss, so I'm content!

**Tayomi: **(chants) Uh oh. Uh oh. Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh!

**WY: **Ukitake Taicho, you're lagging really badly…

**Hitsugaya: **(blushes) Um…

**WY: **They have kissed before. They kissed a lot of times. I don't bother counting, because I lose track of the numbers myself…

**Ukitake: **Well… Ah, never mind.

**Tayomi: **(Clings on to Hitsugaya's arm) Yay! Ukitake Taicho approves!

**Hitsugaya: **Yeah. (Kisses her right in front of Ukitake)

**WY: **Now, Hitsugaya, you have to tell us one thing you don't like about Tayomi-chan!

**Hitsugaya: **It's not 'Hitsugaya'! It's 'Hitsugaya Taicho'!

**WY: **Don't avoid the question! Answer it!

**Hitsugaya: **Well… I don't like it when she doesn't address me as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'. The only time she addresses me by my title is during Captains' meetings, which hardly takes place. And she's such a blockhead. She was doing her paperwork and I stood there for one hour. She didn't notice me at all! Oh, she can be way too talkative too. I seriously think that she talks too much sometimes. And she's childish. Very, very childish. She giggles like a three year old girl!

**Tayomi: **(glares at Hitsugaya) That's more than one!

**Hitsugaya: **(sighs) But well, despite her weaknesses and the fact that she's completely flat-chested, I still love her a lot…

**Tayomi: **(practically melts) I love you too…

(screams) DID YOU JUST CALL ME FLAT-CHESTED? I TOLD YOU BEFORE, I AM NOT FLAT-CHESTED! DO YOU NEED ME TO… TO… SQUASH YOU USING MY CHEST LIKE RANGIKU-CHAN BEFORE YOU BELIEVE ME?

**Hitsugaya: **(smirks) You know you can't do that.

_Tayomi pounces on Hitsugaya and attempts to well… 'Squash' him using her chest. Obviously, it failed…_

**WY: **Oh, I have more from Tiryn…

"Oh yeah! I also have a truth for Tayomi

If you didn't date Toushirou, who would've you dated? List all possibilities, woman!

Update soon!"

Wow. That's a really good one.

**Tayomi: **Honestly? I think I would take Shuu-kun, since I'm the closest to him. Our height difference is really great though… But he's awesome, so I think I would date him if I didn't take Susu-chan! Kira-kun is too sad, Renji-kun's appearance is well… It's not very appealing to my taste. The other guys in Soul Society are way too old for me…

**Hitsugaya: **Tayomi…

**Tayomi: **(hugs Hitsugaya really tightly) But I still love Susu-chan the most, because he's the best! Despite the fact that he refuses to smile and still thinks I'm flat-chested, when I'm not!

_Hitsugaya stares at her blankly._

**WY: **And here's another set of truths and dares from IdentifiedLuna1998!

"I dare Byakuya to act everything no exception like a gangster (LOL!) Tayomi, you can slap 5 random person including Aizen ( I'm an Aizen hater) Komamura, eat something that you can puke and puke in your helmet bucket. Ukitake, play tag with Sogyo No Kotowari ( the most adorable twins) Kyoraku, don't talk with Nanao for 24 hours. Kenpachi, be polite and gentleman or fight me. Toshiro, it's sugar rush time!"

Go, Byakuya, GO!

**Byakuya: **May I know what a gangster is? Are you referring to those who act like hooligans? Those barbarians without a single sense of pride in them?

**WY: **Well, stereotypically, yes!

**Rukia: **Nii-sama, I watched a video on being a gangster before… Just make lots of hand movements and curse! Break the rules! Pose around!

**WY: **Wow. Rukia watches Nigahiga! AWESOME! [I am a fan of Nigahiga…]

**Byakuya: **(in a refined tone) Alright. What's up. What's up man. Have you seen my buddy around. (makes weird hand movements)

**Yamamoto: **Oh gosh! (laughs like an old man… Because he is one.)

**Byakuya: **Yo, everybody. I am a gangster.

**WY: **(laughs like a maniac) That's enough. I'm going to get stitches if you continue! Anyway,Tayomi-chan, go slap five people!

**Tayomi: **YAY! I'll slap Aizen, then Ichimaru, then Tousen, then Hitsu-chan, then Aizen AGAIN!

**Hinamori: **Tayomi Taicho! Don't slap Aizen Taicho!

**Tayomi: **No way, Hina-chan! I have to slap him… For you and Susu-chan! For everybody!

_Tayomi slaps Ichimaru ten times. She slaps Tousen ten times. She slaps Hitsugaya for calling her 'flat-chested'. Lastly, she slaps Aizen for an incredibly long time, till Aizen starts bleeding all over his face. She smiles and runs back to her place._

**Komamura: **(eats rotten meat) Oh no. (pukes in the bucket)

_After puking for quite a while, he empties his bucket and puts it back onto his head. Disgusting, gross, disturbing and many more puke-related adjectives._

**Sogyo no Kotawari: **YAY! YAY! LET'S PLAY! LET'S PLAY! TAG! YOU'RE IT! (taps Ukitake)

**Ukitake: **KIDS! (runs after the two of them) ADORABLE, YOUNG KIDS! I'M COMING!

**Shunsui: **Nanao-chan…

**WY: **Your twenty four hours have begun!

**Nanao: **I will not speak to my Captain for a day. And he will not speak to me.

**Shunsui: **NO! NANAO-CHAN! I NEED MY NANAO-CHAN!

**WY: **(sighs) Sad. Kenpachi, you have to be polite to IdentifiedLuna1998, since you can't fight for a week. Remembers your manners, starting from now!

**Kenpachi: **WHAT?

**WY: **YOU MUST REPLY 'YES, PLEASE' ALL THE TIME! THAT'S THE WAY TO BE A GENTLEMAN!

**Kenpachi: **(grumbles) Yes, please.

**Tayomi: **You have really bad hair!

**Kenpachi: **(trying to control his temper) Yes, please.

**WY: **HAHA! Now, Hitsugaya, it's sugar rush time!

**Tayomi: **YAY! (stuffs candy into Hitsugaya's mouth)

**Hitsugaya: **(swallows the candy) Watermelon. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

_Hitsugaya runs around the room like a crazed fangirl. Tayomi squeals and runs with him. They hold hands and run around the room together, squealing their heads off. I am so going to take a video of this!_

**Hitsugaya: **I just had a sugar rush and embarrassed myself. Now I know what it feels like to be like Tayomi.

**Tayomi: **I know! Isn't it such a great feeling?

**Hitsugaya: **I have no comment.

**WY: **Now, to close off this session, let's have a dare from me! Girls and boys of the cast, you will all be dancing. And I will tape it all down. You should expect it, because I happen to dance a lot. I'm from my school's dance team!

Girls, you will be acting out and dancing to 'Oh!' by Girls Generation. Boys, you will be acting out and dancing to 'Gee' by Girls Generation. You will have to act and dance, just like in the music video. I'm quite addicted to Girls Generation music for now, so it's expected! For the girls, Tayomi has to be the lead girl. For the boys, Hitsugaya will stand in front, in the centre at all times… None of you are allowed to grumble, complain or whatsoever! If one of you don't do it right and dance with energy, you will all do it… AGAIN AND AGAIN TILL YOU GET IT RIGHT!

Boys shall go first!

_OMG HAHAHA! Picture the Bleach girls and guys dancing and acting like Girls Generation in the respective songs… It'll be nice! I think the guys would be very… COMICAL. The girls will be so awesome!_

_Girls Generation—'Gee' : __http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch? v= U7mPqycQ0tQ (without spacing)_

_Girls Generation__—__ 'Oh!' __: __http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch? v=TGbwL8kSpEk__ (without spacing)_

_Grumbling, all the boys in the cast stand up and strike a pose. I glare at them and they plaster smiles onto their faces. The music starts and they begin to sing and dance like the girls from Girls Generation. All the girls giggle, happily watching the boys dance and act like girls. Who expected the boys to be able to dance like the girls from Girls Generation? Even Yamamoto seems to be having fun._

_After that, the girls stand up and begin their dance too. All the girls look adorable. Once they start dancing, all the boys get a serious nosebleed. Some of the girls seem to be having fun, since they've been dared to dance like… Welll… GIRLS! Hitsugaya's nose bleeds, because his eyes are glued to Tayomi… Ichimaru actually opens his eyes for once to look at Matsumoto. Byakuya enjoys watching his little sister dance. Kenpachi laughs heartily as he watches Yachiru._

**Tayomi: **THAT WAS FUN!

**Hitsugaya: **No it wasn't…

**WY: **Alright, that's the end! I hope you all liked it and had fun! Next chapter, Hitsugaya and Tayomi's relationship are on the rocks again…

**Tayomi: **What?

**Hitsugaya: **Really?

**WY: **Yes… I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^ Stay tuned for Chapter 24!

**Tayomi: **(Clings onto Hitsugaya) SUSU-CHAN! SUSU-CHAN!


	24. Fallen Tears

**CHAPTER 24: FALLEN TEARS**

Hitsugaya sighed, as he looked through the stack of reports in his office. Matsumoto was looking through her stack slowly, clearly distracted after Ichimaru's recent appearance in Soul Society. She wondered where he was going, what he was about to do and what his plans were. Hitsugaya's expression was as cold as ever, but inside, he was rather excited. Opening the drawers and taking out a small box, he smiled to himself. He wondered if Tayomi would like his little gift. Matsumoto placed her stack of reports on his desk, before leaving for lunch. She had been unusually obedient these few days, always handing in her reports on time and actually touching the paperwork.

Just then, Hinamori entered his office and asked him what he was doing. Hitsugaya looked up at her and waved his report in his hand, before looking back down and skimming through the finely printed words. Hinamori smiled, knowing that Hitsugaya wanted to finish his paperwork as quickly as possible, so that he could meet Tayomi. According to her Captain, they were going star gazing tonight. Tayomi was in an exceedingly good mood today, jumping all over the place as if she was on a sugar rush. She had stayed in her office for the whole day, including meal times, in order to finish her work early. Hinamori had to bring lunch and dinner to her office, watching her Captain work hard while she helped out with some of the paperwork. Hitsugaya slammed his pen down, delighted that he had finally finished his paperwork. Hinamori turned to leave and tripped over the stack of reports on the floor. Reacting almost immediately, Hitsugaya rushed to catch his childhood friend, holding her in his arms. Hinamori looked up into his eyes and he looked back down into hers, both of them still stunned over Hinamori's clumsiness.

* * *

Tayomi skipped to the 10th Division's barracks happily. After an entire day of effort, she had finished looking through the reports at last. Hitsugaya and she were going out tonight to look at the stars, just like they usually did before she disappeared. Running her fingers through her hair nervously, she wondered if she looked alright. It was highly possible that the day's work had messed up her appearance and worn her out. She wanted to look nice for him and intended to give him a surprise. They were supposed to meet on the hill an hour later, but since she had finished her work early, she decided to pounce on him and give him a small surprise.

"Susu-chan! I finished…"

Tayomi smiled as she pushed open the door. Once she saw the sight in front of her, her smile disappeared completely and she was unable to finish her sentence, as her heart stopped in shock. She could feel hot tears streaming down her cheeks instantly as she looked at her best friend, in her lover's embrace. Trying to hold back her tears, she turned her back on them and ran off, crying. Hinamori and Hitsugaya quickly drew apart, with Hinamori pushing Hitsugaya, telling him to chase after her. Stuffing the tiny box into his pockets, Hitsugaya ran after Tayomi using Shunpo.

It was not easy chasing her, as she was using Shunpo as well. With her high agility, he knew that she could outrun him easily and picked up speed. He chased her all the way to the hill, where they had intended to meet and go star gazing. Reaching his arms out, he caught her by the back, holding her close to him and pressing his lips against her cheek, hoping that she would calm down. Tayomi struggled in his arms endlessly, shivering in sorrow with her teardrops hitting his arm incessantly. She tried to free herself from his grasp, her heart bleeding.

"Sakuri, what's wrong?" Hitsugaya asked, while trying to hold on to his squirming girlfriend.

"WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG?" Tayomi screamed at him, not even bothering to look at him, tugging at his arms and attempting to escape his embrace. "YOU'RE WRONG! IF YOU NEVER LIKED ME, JUST TELL ME! DON'T WAIT FOR ME TO SEE IT FOR MY OWN EYES! DON'T MAKE ME FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT WHO'S BEEN FOOLING HERSELF FOR THE PAST DECADES, FOOLISHLY THINKING THAT SHE WAS LOVED!"

"But Hinamori and I…" Hitsugaya replied hurriedly, hoping she would calm down and listen to him. "She…"

"SHUT UP!" Tayomi covered her ears with her hands, shaking her head. "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH HER AND WHETHER YOU WANT TO PROPOSE TO HER!"

"PROPOSE?" Hitsugaya shouted back at her. "WHAT?"

"DID YOU THINK I WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THAT TINY BOX ON YOUR TABLE THAT CONTAINED A RING IN IT?" Tayomi screamed.

Hitsugaya gasped. He had rushed off for a mission the other day and carelessly left the ring on his table! Tayomi must have seen it… But the ring was not for Hinamori, it was for her…

"LET ME GO." Tayomi demanded. "LET ME GO NOW, HITSUGAYA TAICHO."

_HITSUGAYA TAICHO? Did she just address me properly?_

"LET ME GO NOW!" She pushed him away from her, before running back to her Division's barracks. Wiping her tears as she ran, she hoped that she would stop crying, but to no avail. The tears kept flowing from her eyes endlessly. She felt liked the stupidest person in the world, the saddest person in the world and the weakest person in the world at that moment. All those years… Everything was just an illusion!

* * *

She stormed into her office and Hinamori ran over to her immediately, holding her hand and wanting to explain things. Tayomi glared at her, her eyes filled with tears and burning with rage. She shook Hinamori's hand away violently, before shouting at her to get back to doing the paperwork. Slamming the door behind her, Tayomi threw herself on her bed and stuffed her face into her pillow, soaking it in her own tears.

Outside, Hitsugaya rushed into the 5th Division's barracks, towards Tayomi's office. He entered and found Hinamori staring blankly at Tayomi's door. She rushed to him and told him what had happened. Hitsugaya scratched his head in frustration. Tayomi could be awfully stubborn when she was angry. Sighing, Hitsugaya walked over to her door and attempted to open the door. However, the door was shut tight and he instantly knew that Tayomi was sitting beside the door, pushing the door hard and preventing anyone from entering her room. He sat down beside the door and spoke to her through the door.

"Tayomi…" He sighed.

"GO AWAY!" She screamed and sobbed at the same time, hugging her bunny. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, HINAMORI. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO TELL HIM ABOUT MY FEELINGS! YOU IDIOT! YOU HAD FEELINGS FOR HIM TOO AND NEVER STOPPED ME… YOU… YOU… ARGH JUST GO AWAY!"

"TAYOMI!" Hitsugaya sounded half angry, half concerned.

Tayomi had her body leaning against the door. She slid down and crumbled beside the door, hugging her bunny and hiding her face in its soft fur, weeping. At that moment, she did not feel like listening to anyone, especially Hitsugaya and Hinamori. The two people whom she trusted the most, the two people who she cared for so much, the same two people who broke her heart, shattered it and reduced it to pieces. She could feel Hitsugaya breathing and knew he was sitting right outside her door. If she were to get up, he would definitely rush in. She knew him well enough to know what he would do. Resting her head against the door, she felt her tears drip down her face, staining her cheeks with her salty teardrops. Just then, she heard footsteps. _Who's here now?_

Hisagi walked into the office silently and Hinamori greeted him. He smiled at her and asked her for the reason behind calling him. She instantly explained what had happened and requested that Hisagi try to persuade Tayomi. Hisagi gazed at the door with concerned eyes and saw Hitsugaya sitting down beside the door, trying to get Tayomi to listen to him. Hisagi walked over to Hitsugaya and patted him on the shoulder, before knocking on the door gently and motioning for Hitsugaya to stand back. Hitsugaya could only watch helplessly as Hisagi entered Tayomi's room to have a chat with her.

"Tayomi-chan…" Hisagi sat down beside Tayomi, who still looked adorable despite the fact that her eyes were filled with tears and her cheeks were very red.

"Shuu-kun, if you're here to try and talk me out of being angry with that person, then forget it." Tayomi held her bunny tight and replied stubbornly.

"Alright, I won't…" Hisagi smiled, reaching out his hand and wiping away her tears. "Don't cry…"

Hitsugaya watched from the small opening of the door as Hisagi stroked Tayomi's hair. For some reason, she had calmed down almost immediately. His heart was filled with jealousy, while he watched Hisagi pat Tayomi's head, making her giggle a little. He felt like running over to beat Hisagi up, but he knew that Tayomi would not be happy if he did that. The only thing he could do right now was watch and hope that she would be fine. Just then, Matsumoto entered the office and greeted her Captain and Hinamori, before knocking on Tayomi's door and entering.

Matsumoto beside Tayomi and hugged the crying girl. Even though she was practically being suffocated as Matsumoto embraced her, Tayomi did feel slightly better in the company of her close friends. Matsumoto took out a small bottle of sake and thrust it into Tayomi's hands.

"I always drink this when I'm sad… I hope it makes you feel better." She smiled.

Tayomi stared at the small bottle before opening it gingerly and sipping it. All of a sudden, she felt giddy and put down the bottle instantly. Her vision blurred and she lost consciousness. Matsumoto's eyes shot wide open and she turned to look at Hisagi, who shook his head and sighed.

"I was going to tell you, Rangiku-san…" He sighed. "Tayomi-chan is really bad at holding her liquor. A few sips and she can be knocked out for an entire night… She never admits it, but she's a really horrible drinker…"

Hisagi asked Hitsugaya to come in and Matsumoto smiled sheepishly, as she told her Captain that she had knocked Tayomi out on accident. The two Lieutenants left the room and Hitsugaya sat down beside his sleeping girlfriend. He carried her in his arms and placed her on her bed, covering her up. Sighing, he lay down on her bed beside her, gazing at her sleeping face and ran his fingers through her hair, down her shoulder. She was fast asleep beside him, knocked out by the sake. Aware that he needed to give her time to cool down, he kissed her on her pink lips and got up from her bed. Reluctantly, he turned back to look at her, before closing the door behind him and returning to his Division's barracks for a good night's rest. That is, if he could even get any sleep. He could only hope that Tayomi would be willing to listen to him tomorrow.

* * *

Tayomi woke up the next day, completely exhausted. She knew that after the few sips of sake, the next thing she would experience after being knocked out was the dreaded hangover. Her head was still spinning and she struggled to keep her eyes open. Suddenly, she realised that she was no longer in her room, in the 5th Division's barracks. She was in a white room with white ceilings, white walls and white flooring. She attempted to get up, then realised that her hands and feet were tied together. Panicking, she struggled to get up, but still felt dizzy as her vision blurred every few seconds. _Why am I so sleepy? Where am I? Why am I tied up?_

"Ah, Tayomi Sakuri…" A voice spoke. "You're awake at last!"

Tayomi turned her head and gasped in shock.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Yeah... Tayomi is very very INCREDIBLY BAD at holding her liquor. Completely vulnerable to even sake T.T And OMG who captured her? What's the Gotei 13 going to do about it? How's Hitsugaya going to deal with it? Find out in the next chapter! :D  
I hoped you all liked this emo chapter XD Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	25. The Rescue Begins

**CHAPTER 25: THE RESCUE BEGINS**

_Where am I? _Tayomi was completely bewildered as she turned her head, wondering who the voice came from. She turned to see a grinning man with silver hair smiling at her. That freaky smile could only come from one person. Startled, she attempted to move, but her legs and hands were tied together. She struggled as Ichimaru took a step back and allowed Aizen to walk forward. Aizen was smiling at her, his smile full of its usual sacarsm. Tayomi glared at him, her eyes burning with fury. She demanded to know where she was and Aizen replied discreetly, telling her she was in Las Noches, in Hueco Mundo. Her eyes widened, once she realised that she was in the home ground of the many hollows that existed and saw in her textbook from her school days.

"It seems that even Shinigami like you can fall prey to the simplest things…" Aizen smirked. "Apparently, Tayomi-chan cannot hold her liquor very well…"

"Shut up Aizen…" Tayomi snapped. "Why have you brought me here? Are you that afraid of me? Do you think I'm so big a threat that since you can't kill me, you have to lock me up in this strange place?"

"Smart girl, you're half right…" Aizen smiled.

"Then what's the other reason?" Tayomi demanded.

* * *

Hitsugaya and the other Captains had been called up bright and early in the morning for a Captains' meeting. Hitsugaya yawned sleepily, wondering what the issue was. Usually, a Captains' meeting was called for only if there was an emergency. Ever since Yammy's defeat, Aizen had not made his move. Soul Society had been rather peaceful, besides the usual appearances of hollows in the various districts in Rukongai. Speaking of Rukongai, Hitsugaya realised that he had not told his grandmother the good news regarding Tayomi and his relationship, including the fact that they were attached. His grandmother would be delighted to hear such news, since she adored Tayomi and hoped he would be attached to her. It was perfectly normal for him to bring his girlfriend home to inform his grandmother of their relationship anyway. It would have been a lot easier to carry out, if she was not angry at him. Sighing, he knew that the only thing he could do was give her time and wait for her to cool down, before explaining things to her. He looked around the room and instantly noticed that something was wrong. Tayomi was not here. She was never late for meetings. The other Captains seemed to notice it as well.

Just then, Captain-commander Yamamoto entered the room, with Lieutenant Sakasibe trailing behind him. Yamamoto had a stern expression on his face, as he stood before the Captains and ordered Sakasibe to play the video for them. Sakasibe nodded and showed the Captains a very shocking video from Aizen. Aizen and Ichimaru were smiling at the camera, before stepping back to reveal Tayomi lying on the ground, clearly knocked out and unconscious. Her eyes opened slightly, but she kept slipping in and out of consciousness. Hitsugaya gasped in utter shock. Aizen had kidnapped her! He clenched his fists in sheer anger, ready to storm off and kill Aizen. He had sworn to kill whoever dared to try something funny with Tayomi or harm her. Ukitake looked at Hitsugaya with a worried expression, hoping that he would not flare up in the middle of the Captains' meeting. Yamamoto ordered for a Captain to rescue her, as Tayomi held a very important position in the Gotei 13 and her strength would be crucial in the battle against Aizen. Tayomi was a prodigy, an outstanding Shinigami. Losing her would weaken the Gotei 13's strength and Yamamoto could not afford to let it happen. Even so, he knew that if he did not give such an order, a few of the Captains would gather and race off to save Tayomi. Hitsugaya immediately volunteered to go to Hueco Mundo and retrieve Tayomi. Yamamoto nodded and ordered him to set off right away.

* * *

"The other reason…" Aizen smiled before pausing.

Tayomi held her breath, wondering what it was. Her whole world was messed up and spinning with her problems. Her hangover aggravated the whole situation. Aizen and Gin appeared as fuzzy images, sometimes she could see two images of them, running in and out of their bodies. She was curious about what Aizen could possibly want with her, but at the same time, she knew that sometimes, it never paid to be curious. Right now, the only few thoughts running through her mind was related to Aizen, Ichimaru, the Gotei 13 and Hitsugaya. Surely, they would have noticed that she was gone. In a subconscious state of mind, she saw Aizen taping her and mentioning to Ichimaru that he would send it to Soul Society. If Soul Society knew she was here, they would either leave her here or send someone to save her. She definitely hoped they chose the latter option.

"It's because…" Aizen got up close to her, in her face, trapping her on the ground. "Ever since my last visit to Soul Society, I have taken a great interest in you."

"Aizen…" She glared at him fiercely. "You're…a sickening… paedophile…"

Tayomi's eyes shot open in shock as Aizen bent down and kissed her lips. It felt absolutely disgusting, revolting and perturbing. She tried to resist, but her body was totally drained of energy. Aizen stroked her cheeks before smiling at her. Tayomi, using her hands which were tied together in front of her body, wiped her lips violently, trying to get Aizen's kiss off her lips. Aizen and Ichimaru left the room, leaving her lying on the floor, completely stunned and horrified. Tayomi blinked twice, hoping that it was just a nightmare and that Aizen's words and actions were just an illusion. _Darn it… It's not a nightmare… It's actually reality! _Clenching her fists, she could only hope that somehow, her hangover would end quickly and she would attempt to escape. Unfortunately, she was well-aware that her hangover would never last for such a short time.

Rolling onto her side, she stared at the white ground. It had a very strange smell. In fact, it smelled just like sake. Groaning, she suddenly realised that the floor was rather damp. Though she was dizzy, she could easily conclude that something had been done to the room on purpose. The whole room was stained with the smell of sake, which was strong enough to keep her weaving in and out of consciousness for a period of time. The smell of sake could affect her as well and judging by Aizen's intellect, it would be quite simple to figure out that it played an effect on her. Sighing, she knew that she would be stuck in the white prison for a considerably long time, until the smell wore off. With her hands and feet tied together, her movement was restricted and she was unable to move around. Lying on the ground was extremely boring and the fact that she was experiencing a hangover would make the boredom excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Her thoughts wandered off, as she entertained herself with her own mind. She was completely angered by the fact that Aizen had actually dared to hit on her. Well, she was vulnerable when she was drunk, but that was not the point. Their difference in height and age was so great. Aizen could practically be her grandfather, ignoring the fact that he still looked young and including the fact that he was much older than her. Aizen was hideous in her eyes, the most revolting man she had ever seen. He had a rotten heart, he killed innocent people at whim, he made use of his subordinates, he betrayed his colleagues and there simply was not anything positive about him.

She began thinking about the events that took place right before she woke up in this room. She had gotten into a major argument with Hitsugaya regarding Hinamori and him. Inside, she really wished that she had not seen it at all and she wished she could pretend that she never saw anything, but she knew she simply could not. He had betrayed her and to think she had been fooled for so many years. She secretly wished that it was not true and that there was a hidden misunderstanding, but it had happened right in front of her eyes. She trusted her eyes and knew that as much as she loved to deny it, Hitsugaya loved Hinamori and not her. Then, why? Why did he kiss her on that night, when they graduated? Why did he hug her so tightly and confessed his feelings for her on the day she returned? Why had he treated her so nicely during their beginning years in the Gotei 13? Her mind was so messed up right now and her heart was confused. More than ever, she wanted to return to Soul Society and stop herself from dragging her soul into such turmoil.

* * *

Hitsugaya slumped down in his chair and sighed, running his fingers through his hair and looking nothing but troubled. She had been kidnapped by Aizen. There was no way that he could stop worrying about her. He had failed to protect her again and he swore to himself that he would get her back alive. Full of anger, he was very tempted to kill Aizen on sight, but Yamamoto's orders were the rules and he had been ordered to return to Soul Society once he found Tayomi. Fighting Aizen could wait, but saving Tayomi would be their top priority. Hitsugaya could not help but agree and decided to wait for Tayomi to return safely before they settled their score with Aizen. Gripping his Zanpakutou and thoughts of her flowing through his mind, he gathered his usual team for a briefing.

Matsumoto, Yumichika, Ikkaku and Renji gathered in his office, all aware of the news of Tayomi's kidnap. Matsumoto sighed, worried about how her Captain was taking it. She knew that the last thing he wanted was to lose her all over again, because of Aizen. Hitsugaya announced that they would set off immediately for Las Noches, right away. They took a trip down to the 12th Division's barracks and asked Mayuri to open the Garganta for them. Mayuri's lab was filled with the usual, strange objects and Nemu was around, helping out in his experiments. With a freaky smile all over his face, he opened the Garganta for them and Hitsugaya and his team jumped right in, running towards Hueco Mundo. As he ran, memories of himself with Tayomi flooded his mind, further motivating him to save her as quickly as possible.

_Hang in there…I'm coming for you... I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, because I'll still protect you always.  
_

* * *

**Author's note:**

Alright, we're going to Hueco Mundo and Hitsugaya and his team are gonna save her! :D As much as I hate the idea of her becoming a 'damsel-in-distress' character, everyone needs some saving sometimes and it's just that sort of moment for her right now. After that experience, I'm sure Tayomi's never ever going near sake again ^.^ And she's still perfectly capable of protecting herself... That is, as long she isn't near sake. If Aizen brings it to the battlefield (which sounds quite funny, actually!), she'll find some way to block it out :D  
Anyways, I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	26. Burning with Little Time

**CHAPTER 26: BURNING WITH LITTLE TIME**

Hueco Mundo was absolutely dull, nothing but black and white. The sands were white, the moon was white and the skies were black. There were little hollows crawling about the sand and everything was still and silent, except for the gentle breeze blowing through their hair. Hitsugaya hopped out of the Garganta and landed safely on the ground, with his team behind him. Out of the five of them, only Renji had been to Hueco Mundo. For the other four Shinigami, Hueco Mundo was a completely new environment for them. Yumichika grumbled at the ugliness of the place and the lack of colour. Not bothering to glare at him, Hitsugaya dashed off using Shunpo towards the large white building in the heart of Hueco Mundo.

His legs picked up speed as they moved, running towards Las Noches as quickly as he could. His subordinates found it hard to keep up with him, but knew that they could not complain or ask him to slow down. Hitsugaya was running with such haste because he wanted to save her and asking him to slow down was equivalent to asking to be killed. They were all well-aware that there was no possibility of him slowing down, as he went faster and faster, dashing towards Las Noches. Gasping for breath, Renji, Matsumoto, Yumichika and Ikkaku tried their best to keep up with Hitsugaya, practically chasing after him with every ounce of strength in their body. Hitsugaya was exhausted just running as well, but he refused to let himself stop. She was in Las Noches. She needed him. He needed her. Whether or not they were in the midst of a misunderstanding, he would still do anything for her even if it cost him his very own life force. As they ran, they bumped into several hollows and Hitsugaya unsheathed his Zanpakutou, slashing and freezing every single one that came in his path. He was unwilling to let anyone interrupt him on the most important task in his life, determined not to lose her again like he almost did decades ago.

* * *

Tayomi drifted into a conscious state again, slowly opening her eyes and remembering that she was still in Las Noches, locked away by a certain idiot. She felt something strangling her wrists and looked at them, to see heavy chains attaching her to the wall in her prison cell. Her feet were hanging in the air and she was suspended at least two metres above the ground. Struggling to free herself from the chains despite her hangover, she put up a violent fight, hoping that the chains would break. The chains still remained on her wrists, as tight as ever, making her wrists hurt and bleed as she struggled. Tayomi's eyes followed the trail of blood as it made its way down her arm, while some strayed off its path and ended up dripping onto the floor below. She watched her blood drip onto the ground, forming blots of blood on the white surface. Just then Aizen entered her prison, smiling. Tayomi looked away as Aizen came forward, forcing his lips onto hers.

"I'm sorry that I have to leave you here…" He smiled, pretending to look remorseful. "But I know that the Gotei 13 has sent a team over to save you and I want them all dead… So I'll have to kill you as well, as much as I would hate to…"

"Shut up…" Tayomi grumbled in disgust. "You bastard… You're a disgrace to us Shinigami and you destroyed the glory of the 5th Division…."

"Don't say that, Tayomi-chan…" He smirked. "I was merely meant for greater things besides being a lowly Captain of a Division. If only you agreed to join me, then you would not have to die. You could live beside me, happily ever after…"

"That's… stupid…" Tayomi spoke, beginning to lose consciousness again. "Who… would be happy… beside someone like you?"

"Goodbye, Tayomi-chan…" Aizen kissed her again, much to her horror, pulling her shirt open slightly as well, such that part of her chest was revealed to him. He walked off with Ichimaru without looking back, with a smirk of delight on his face. _That… damned… pervert… _Tayomi's eyes were burning with fury, as her heart was not the only thing that burned with rage. Her vision began to blur again and the smell of smoke wafted into her nose, instantly telling her that something was set on fire, with her in it...

* * *

After hours of frantic running, Hitsugaya and his team had arrived at the doorstep of Las Noches. He sent an ice dragon at the large walls, watching it freeze and crumble into pieces like fragile glass. Just then, he spotted Aizen and Ichimaru riding on a flying hollow, grinning at them. He turned his attention to Las Noches and gasped. All five of them were in shock, as they realised that the centre of the building had been set on fire. The fire was too strong, burning over too wide an area and he knew that he could not use Hyorinmaru to put the entire fire out. His heart began to panic and he turned to his team, ordering each of them to search a particular area of Las Noches for Tayomi. He warned them to get out once they had searched the area, determined not to let anyone from his team lose their lives. After a brief discussion and division of areas, the five of them dashed into the burning building and headed their separate ways to find the Captain of the 5th Division.

Matsumoto ran around her area, her heart beating quickly. After seeing Ichimaru, she had felt rather sad but she knew that now was not the time to be thinking of her childhood friend. Panting, she turned her head wildly, her strawberry blond hair swaying left and right according to the movements made by her head. She looked into every room, hoping and praying that Tayomi was in one of them. Before they left, Mayuri declared that he would open the Garganta for them in three hours time, so they had to find Tayomi and get out of Hueco Mundo before their time was up. Aware of the little time they had, she decided to go faster, frantically knocking every single door open. Whenever she looked into a room, Tayomi was nowhere in sight. Quickly taking out her communicator as she ran, she contacted her Captain to ask him on his status, but he was too focused to answer. Sighing, she called up the other Shinigami. Apparently, none of them had found her either and they were almost done with their area. Hanging up on them, Matsumoto realised that she had finished searching the area and bearing her Captain's words in mind, she reluctantly hopped out of the burning Las Noches, hoping that someone had found Tayomi. She met the others outside and they realised that the only person who was not back was Hitsugaya.

"As I expected, there's no way he would come out first…" She sighed. "He wants to find her, even if it kills him."

"I've never since Hitsugaya Taicho so motivated before…" Renji gasped.

"Well, it's absolutely beautiful to see such fierce passion between them…" Yumichika flicked his hair.

"I hope he gets out of there soon… The whole thing is burning down pretty quickly!" Ikkaku sighed.

* * *

Hitsugaya ran around his area, panting as he threw open every single door. He was fully aware that the building was burning down and the three hours were almost up, but he was still unwilling to leave. He refused to leave without her. Running up the stairs of the tallest tower where Orihime was previously held, he secretly hoped that she was inside, because that was the only room which he had not searched. With his heart beating wildly, he burst into the room and gasped.

He had finally found her, but she was not in the best state. Her wrists were bleeding, as the chains were wound so tightly that it had cut into her flesh and caused her blood to drip onto the floor. Her shirt had been pulled open and he instantly knew that someone had tried something with her. Clenching his fists in pure anger, he had a very clear idea who did it. He knew that he had to settle his score with Aizen later, as their first priority was taking her back to Soul Society. Unsheathing his Zanpakutou, he released his Bankai, freezing the flames that had caught up with him and surrounded the prison cell. He then cut her chains off, releasing her and he swooped down to catch her. She was definitely unconscious, still suffering from the hangover. Holding her close to his body, he flew out of the tower with her in his arms. His subordinates spotted him just as the Garganta opened. Everyone entered the Garganta, heaving a sigh of relief. The operation had gone smoothly and she was safe.

* * *

In the 5th Division's barracks, Tayomi lay on her bed, still a bit dizzy after her hangover. She realised that she was not staring at the ceiling, but staring at the wall opposite her. Turning her head, she saw a pair of turquoise-coloured eyes looking straight at her and felt someone's arms around her. She wondered what she should do, as Hitsugaya sat on her bed and held her tightly in his arms. Tayomi looked up at him, considering putting up some sort of struggle, but she knew she had no energy to do so. Silence was observed as she waited for him to start speaking. Instead, he simply kissed her on her forehead.

"I'm not in love with Hinamori…" He sighed. "It's just that she happened to trip and fall that day, so I caught her. Then you came in and saw it all… I told you I'd love you forever and that promise still holds."

"You don't have to keep it if you don't want to…" Tayomi looked away, trying not to blush.

"I never said I didn't want to." Hitsugaya squeezed her waist. "I want to keep that promise. And that ring wasn't for her… It was for you. You can blame it on Matsumoto for persuading me to get you something that eventually led to our misunderstanding…"

Tayomi looked down at the ring on her finger. "I won't… I'm just glad to be back here."

She lay back on him, smiling to herself. Hitsugaya kissed her again. Even though she had been gone for just two days, he had missed her so much and felt as if she had been gone for years. He wondered what had happened in Las Noches and wanted to ask her what happened there, but decided to ask her the next day. She was tired and needed to rest. He was about to get up and leave when she gripped his arms tight.

"Don't go…"

She said the exact same thing that she did the night before she left Soul Society for the Special Training Program and disappeared. He sighed and sat back down, holding her in his arms. She snuggled against him and let him hug her too sleep. Hitsugaya looked at her and stroked her hair with affection, smiling to himself. She was back in his arms again.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY alright she's back :D I couldn't split them up for too long, or else I wouldn't be able to take it lol XD  
Next Chapter, Aizen and Ichimaru takes flight to the real world on a birdy hollow lol :D And thus, some people shall be sent to the LIVING WORLD! YESYESYES Ichigo and the others will be introduced to the storyline officially... SOON :D The team will settle into the Living world before going to the school in the next next chapter :D  
Please review and I hope you all liked this chapter! Thanks! ^.^


	27. To the Human World

**CHAPTER 27: TO THE HUMAN WORLD**

Tayomi yawned sleepily, after finally recovering from the dreadful hangover. A Captains' meeting had been called for that morning, concerning a certain important issue. She wondered what it was about as she left the 5th Division's barracks, though she was quite sure that Aizen would be somehow involved in it. Despite the fact that it had been a few days since she was captured, she still had not recovered from the shock. Aizen's unbelievable words rang in her head incessantly, distracting her from everything else. She had a hard time concentrating on the paperwork, though Hinamori offered to do it for her. Simply shaking her head and smiling, Tayomi told Hinamori it was fine, though she was in complete turmoil inside. For some reason, Aizen had decided to confess to her. She was sure that there was some motive behind his sly words, but exactly what was it?

Just then, Hitsugaya appeared in front of her once she opened the 5th Division's doors. He smiled and patted her on the head, before interlocking his fingers with hers and walking to the Captains' meeting room. Tayomi still felt a bit sleepy and tried to stop herself from yawning, but to no avail. She ruffled her hair, trying to fix her hairband. Hitsugaya looked at her for a moment before stopping.

"Do you want me to carry you?" He asked seriously.

"NO!" Tayomi gasped. She did not really like being carried, because it made her feel small. Although to her, Hitsugaya was an exception, since she felt safe in his arms. Even so, they were going to a Captains' meeting. It would be inappropriate if he were to carry her there. She blushed and they both headed towards the 1st Division's barracks.

* * *

The whole meeting room was silent, as the Captains slowly strolled in and stood at their positions, awaiting Captain-commander Yamamoto's arrival. Captain Soi Fon looked as stern as ever. Captain Unohana had the usual facial expression, wearing a gentle smile. Captain Kuchiki still had the same stoic expression and lacked a hint of expression on his face, in great contrast with Captain Unohana's sweet smile. Captain Komamura looked normal, like how he usually looked. Captain Shunsui had finally decided to stop chewing grass and turned up without a green slit poking out of his mouth. Captain Kenpachi was not smiling, which made a great difference in his appearance, since he did not have his usual crazy look. Captain Mayuri looked insane though, as he grinned madly, probably due to a new discovery he made. Captain Ukitake looked serious, but smiled at Tayomi. Hitsugaya gazed at her and she gazed back at him, causing a few Captains to smile inside. The two young Captains could be so sweet sometimes. At that moment, Captain-commander Yamamoto entered the room and stood before all the Captains.

"I have news to report. Aizen and Ichimaru have escaped to the World of the Living." Captain-commander Yamamoto announced with a grave tone in his voice. "Thus, I will be sending a team of Shinigami to the Living World to keep an eye on him. I intend to send two Captains and one of them will be Hitsugaya Taicho. Hitsugaya Taicho, who would you like to join you?"

"I would like Tayomi Taicho to join me." Hitsugaya replied instantly.

"Alright then, Tayomi Taicho, do you have any objections?" Captain-commander Yamamoto turned to Tayomi, who shook her head.

"You will set off for the Living World with your team once you are ready."

Tayomi walked back to the 5th Division's barracks. She could not believe that she would be going back to the Living World so soon. Hitsugaya told her to come meet him in his office once she was ready. She brought her Gigai with her and went to his office immediately. Hitsugaya was standing around waiting for her, along with Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika. Hitsugaya walked over to her smiling and the six of them opened the Senkai gate, stepping into the Living World together.

* * *

For the second time in her entire life, she entered Karakura Town. Everything still seemed the same. The streets looked the same, though it was empty. It was night time and as she had expected, the streets were silent. According to Hisagi, they would be staying in the Living World for quite some time and had to go to school. Soul Society had also bought an apartment for them to share, so they would not have to count on other beings' hospitalities. Following the directions given, they arrived at a tall white building and went up to the top floor. Taking out the keys Hisagi gave her, she unlocked the door and the six of them entered the apartment.

The apartment was spacious and white, with all the furniture ready. As expected, Hisagi had helped them with everything and Tayomi knew she would be likely to call on him later to thank him. There was a sofa, a coffee table and a television. The floor was carpeted, as they placed their feet on the soft ground. Matsumoto found a note on the table and read it out loud to everybody, before bursting into squeals of laughter. Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika moved behind her to see what was so funny. Matsumoto handed the paper to them and they burst into fits of laughter. Hitsugaya and Tayomi stared at the four of them blankly, wondering what the joke was about. Matsumoto handed the piece of paper to them, still laughing hysterically. Hitsugaya and Tayomi read the note, before turning to each other and gasping. The other Shinigami laughed and rushed into their respective rooms.

"Enjoy your alone time with Yomi-chan, Taicho!" Matsumoto teased Hitsugaya, before dashing into her room.

Tayomi entered their room cautiously, dragging Hitsugaya by the hand. They were both blushing, still stunned upon the fact that they would be sharing a room together. Once she entered her room, she squealed. Right before her eyes, beside the study table stood a pinkish-brown electric guitar and a brown acoustic guitar. She jumped up and down excitedly like a hyper little girl, hugging Hitsugaya tight around the neck. Tayomi was so loud that the other Shinigami rushed into their room, wondering what had happened. Tayomi ran towards the guitars, still squealing madly. She whipped out her phone and dialled Hisagi's number immediately.

"SHUU-KUN! I SAW IT!" She screamed into her black and silver phone. "THANK YOU! HOW DID YOU KNOW I WANTED THAT? OOH, I SEE… YES, I'M REALLY HAPPY… HAHA, OF COURSE I'LL TEACH YOU… ALRIGHT, I WILL! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU! BYE BYE!"

All the other Shinigami left the room, knowing that Hitsugaya would definitely have something to say. They were glad that he was in his Gigai and furiously hoped that he would not get so mad that he froze the whole town. Hitsugaya had raging jealousy issues with Hisagi and wondered what Tayomi's relationship with the 9th Division's Lieutenant was. They often spent time together, chatting happily when he was busy. Tayomi had no problems with being hugged by him at all, and they seemed too close to be just normal friends. Tayomi giggled and turned to face Hitsugaya, who was glaring at her, with a hint of anger and pain in his eyes. She smiled at him and quickly closed the door, before running over to hug him. Playfully, she poked his cheek, teasing him for being jealous. Hitsugaya grumbled, knowing that he did not want to refuse her affection at all. He bravely asked her about her relationship with Hisagi. Tayomi smiled, telling Hitsugaya that they were childhood friends and treated each other as siblings. When she was a child, Hisagi always stood up for her, despite being easily afraid himself. Hisagi always protected her and they shared a close bond, just like an elder brother and sister.

"I love him as a friend and brother, but I love you as my boyfriend!" She smiled sweetly, before kissing his on his lips gently.

Hitsugaya sighed and tightened his grip around her.

* * *

In the evening, the sun had begun to set and sink into the horizon, giving the moon space to slip into its position in the dark blue sky. Ikkaku and Yumichika were finally back with dinner, after half an hour. The six Shinigami sat on the carpet together, eating sushi, sashimi and bento. Tayomi was rather excited about the whole experience. She had covered every single area of the apartment and was impressed with the study room, which looked exactly like the Captains' office back in Soul Society. The only difference was that it was much wider in length and there were two study tables there, one for her and one for Hitsugaya. They had computers and the wide screen was planted against the wall, allowing the Captain-commander to contact them whenever he needed to. Just then, someone's phone rang. Everyone reached for their phones, thinking it was theirs. Tayomi sighed, disappointed at the fact that they had identical ringtones. After Renji got off the phone, she demanded that the five of them surrender their phones to her and let her do something about their ringtones. She grumbled, telling them that they should have different ringtones, so they could determine whose phone was really ringing easily.

A few minutes later, Tayomi smiled and handed their phones back to them. Excited to hear their new ringtones, they bugged Tayomi to call them all at once. With a grin on her face, she started a six-way conference call with them.

"_Whatcha gonna do with all that junk, all that junk inside that trunk? I'ma get, get, get, get you drunk, get you love drunk off my humps…"_

"_She's so lucky… She's a star… But she cries, cries, cries in her lonely heart thinking, 'If there's nothing, listen to my life'… So why do those tears come at night?"_

"_WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE TREE? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!"_

"_Ice Ice baby… Ice Ice Baby…"_

Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Renji and Hitsugaya had their jaws hanging wide open in pure shock, while Tayomi grinned cheerfully. Yumichika was waiting for his phone to ring eagerly and after a second of waiting, it rang at last, feeding his curiosity.

"_Hi Barbie! Hi Ken! Do you wanna go for a ride? Sure Ken! Jump in! I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world… Life in plastic, IT'S FANTASTIC!"_

"This ringtone… CHANGE IT! I'M NOT A GIRL AND I DO NOT CRY!" Ikkaku shrieked.

"THE SONG IS SO… STRANGE!" Matsumoto protested.

"WHAT'S WITH THE PINEAPPLE?" Renji demanded.

Hitsugaya was silent. He felt that he should trust her taste in music. After all, his element was in that song.

All five eyes turned to Yumichika, waiting for him to react.

"This song… It's… FANTASTIC!" Yumichika flicked his hair delightfully. "It's absolutely beautiful! Thank you, Tayomi Taicho! By the way, what's your ringtone?"

Renji quickly punched in Tayomi's number, waiting for her phone to ring.

"_My lips like sugar… My lips like sugar… This candy got you sprung… This candy got you sprung… So call me your sugar…"_

"What?" Tayomi shrugged. "The song is catchy!"

* * *

That night, Tayomi lay on her bed, strumming her guitar while aimlessly looking at the ceiling. Hitsugaya was sitting on his bed, which was a metre away from her bed, on her right side. Tayomi yawned and put back the guitar. It was getting late and they had school the next day. Hitsugaya patted her on the head and hugged her quickly, chasing her to bed, knowing that she was sleepy but refused to admit it. They both got into their beds and slipped under the blankets, after wishing each other goodnight. Tayomi stared at Hitsugaya and he stared back at her.

An hour later, she sighed, sat up and told him she could not sleep. She hugged her bunny close to her chest and buried her face in its soft fur. Hitsugaya got out of his bed and walked over to her, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and let him kiss her forehead, before wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling against his chest. Hitsugaya gazed at her, watching her attempt to sleep. Smiling, they both lay on her bed and Tayomi let him hold her in his arms, as they both fell asleep beside each other, resting up before their first day of school the next day.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**LOL I hope you all liked this chapter! :D I decided to add in the ringtone because I thought it was quite funny XD And for those who watched the latest episode of Bleach, did you see the Shinigami Cup? OMG Hisagi playing the guitar! And it just so happens that Tayomi plays the guitar, so I decided to add in a short line about Tayomi promising to help him with the guitar XD Next chapter will be special, because for only that chapter, I will tell the story from Ichigo's point of view and let him meet Tayomi! It will be fun ^.^  
I'll be updating a lot slower, because my exams are coming soon. Plus I'm part of the committee of my Dance Club, so I have more stuff to tend too. Of course, I won't stop updating this FanFic, but it might not be as often as it used to be. Sorry T.T  
Please review and stay tuned! Thanks! :D

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:  
**I do not own Bleach or any songs and characters used in this FanFiction. They belong to their rightful owners. The only thing I own are my OCs, Tayomi and Kiseida. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

I forgot to put in this very important disclaimer at the start of the FanFic OMG! D:


	28. Ichigo's New Acquaintance

**CHAPTER 28: ICHIGO'S NEW ACQUAINTANCE**

Footsteps were heard as six new students walked into the campus of Karakura High School. They walked down the corridor, attracting a massive amount of attention to themselves unknowingly. One of them was a tall guy with striking red hair, tied up in a ponytail. There was also a man with short dark hair, with eye feathers and an air of confidence surrounding him. Also, there was a tall female with strawberry blond hair, who wore her uniform rather inappropriately, leaving the top few buttons unbuttoned. Lastly, there was a short boy with spiky white hair and turquoise eyes. He had one hand in his pocket and the other holding onto a young girl's hand. The young girl had purplish-blue eyes and long black hair, with a pink hairband in it. They walked down the hallways, ignoring the strange looks they got from the other students.

"Where is Ichigo?" The red-haired man thought aloud.

"We would have found him by now, if only someone had remembered to bring the memo with her…"

"I told you, Yumichika! I forgot where I had put it…"

"I still can't stand these uncomfortable clothes!"

"Well, like I told you before, Ikkaku, students here are required to wear them…"

"Just search for his reiatsu…"

"I have no idea who he is, so lead the way, Susu-chan!"

"Tayomi… Do not call me that in public."

"Why? It's an adorable name…"

"Let's just search for Kurosaki. As for you guys, shut up back there and search for his reiatsu!"

"Yes…"

* * *

Ichigo sighed in content. Life had been rather peaceful ever since Aizen's defeat and he was sure that Aizen would not dare to wreck havoc in any dimension ever again. His life had returned to normal and he remained as the Substitute Shinigami of Karakura Town. He had kept in contact with Shinji and the other Vizards. Rukia stayed in the Living World beside him and they watched over Karakura Town together. As for Ishida, Chad and Orihime, they were there to offer their help whenever the town was in need of saving and they had grown closer as a group, after having gone through so much together. The bell rang at last, signifying the end of a school day. The students rushed out of the door and he had to stay back to clean up the classroom, along with Ishida, Keigo and Mizuiro. Rukia, Chad and Orihime decided to wait for them outside, at the school gates.

At that moment, the door to his classroom swung open. Ichigo turned his head immediately, to see five people staring straight at him. He recognised them instantly. It was Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku and Toushirou. As per usual, Hitsugaya told him off for not addressing him properly, demanding to be addressed as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'. Ichigo was still stunned. The war with Aizen was over. Soul Society had returned to normal and everything was peaceful again. The Shinigami from the Gotei 13 had no reason to come to the Living World, unless there was an emergency. His mouth hung agape, as possibilities of their visit ran through his head. It was definitely possible that Aizen was about to make his comeback again. Just then, he realised that Toushirou had one hand in his pocket and the other was holding onto something behind him.

Renji informed Ichigo that Aizen was on the move again. He had fled to the Living World with Ichimaru and it was likely that they would be planning their attack on Karakura Town and Soul Society soon. Ichigo was still shocked, in utter disbelief. He was right after all. Aizen was about to make his comeback and he would definitely come after him. After all, he was the one who defeated him. Aizen had every reason to seek revenge against him. Toushirou pulled out his other hand, forcing a young girl out from behind him. The girl was shorter than him and had long black hair, with a pink hairband in it. She had purplish-blue eyes and had a flawless look. She was wearing the Karakura High School uniform as well, leaving her shirt tucked out like the others. Ichigo noticed that Toushirou was holding her hand rather tightly.

"This is Tayomi Sakuri, the new Captain of the 5th Division." Toushirou spoke in a serious tone. "You will address her as 'Tayomi Taicho' and nothing else. If you try anything funny with her, I will kill you."

"Eh, Hitsu-chan… You don't have to be that serious!" Tayomi laughed nervously.

_Did she just call him 'Hitsu-chan'? And did Toushirou just keep silent? He usually flares up whenever someone fails to address him as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'…_

"Ah Toushirou, is Tayomi Taicho your sister?" Ichigo asked.

All six Shinigami stared at him blankly. After a few seconds, Matsumoto could not hold it back any longer and burst out laughing. Yumichika sighed and shook his read. Ikkaku simply stared at Ichigo blankly, clearly in shock. Renji had his jaw hanging wide open and was completely stunned. Toushirou grumbled, clenching his fist and accidentally squeezing Tayomi's hand too hard. She let out a small squeal and blushed. He instantly rubbed her hand, apologising profusely. Ichigo stared at the two of them, with a strange look on his face. He had never seen Toushirou care so much about someone, or act so affectionately. If she was not his sister, what else could she be? He made another guess, asking Toushirou if Tayomi was his cousin. Toushirou sighed angrily and walked away, pulling on Tayomi's hand and making her follow him. Ichigo blinked twice.

"Ichigo, are you really that daft?" Renji teased.

"WHAT? AREN'T THEY RELATIVES?" Ichigo screamed back.

"YOU IDIOT! OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT!" Renji shrieked. "MATSUMOTO! TELL THIS IDIOT WHO TAYOMI IS!"

"OF COURSE I KNOW WHO SHE IS! SHE'S THE NEW CAPTAIN OF THE 5th DIVISION!" Ichigo rebuked.

"Ichigo…" Matsumoto sighed. "Tayomi-chan is not only the new Captain of the 5th Division… She is also Taicho's girlfriend…"

"TOUSHIROU HAS A GIRLFRIEND?"

* * *

Hitsugaya dragged Tayomi all the way up to the rooftop, where he usually stayed during breaks to send reports to Soul Society. Tayomi let herself be dragged, fully aware that he was furious over what Ichigo had said. Once they were at the rooftop, Hitsugaya sighed and scratched his head, asking her if their relationship with each other was that vague. She was stunned by his sudden question and stared at him for a few seconds, before walking up to him slowly and giving him a hug. She felt his arms go round her waist and his cheek touched her right ear. Hitsugaya was hugging her really tightly, as if he had not seen her for years. Tayomi ran her fingers through his hair, smiling and trying to calm him down. It seemed to work, as she could feel his anger dissipating and disappearing. She stroked his cheek with her hands, before poking it and giggling to herself. He smiled at her, before patting her head. Feeling slightly random, she took out her phone and quickly took a picture of herself and Hitsugaya. It looked rather good, with both of them smiling at the camera and looking as perfect as they could be. She showed the picture to him and laughed, then set it as her phone's wallpaper. After placing her phone back in her pocket, she turned back to him and smiled. Just as she had expected, he leaned forward and let his lips touch hers gently, as they tightened their grip on each other. A minute later, they drew back and looked at the door leading to the rooftop.

"Rangiku-chan, we know you're there…" Tayomi giggled, blushing.

The whole gang came out of hiding nervously, expecting to be scolded by Hitsugaya. Rukia appeared behind Ichigo and slapped his head, telling him off for being stupid. Tayomi instantly ran up to greet Rukia, whom she had not seen in ages. Rukia smiled at her ex-4th Seat, who had now rose up the ranks and held the same rank as her brother. Tayomi giggled excitedly and hugged Rukia. It was nice to see her friend again.

Ichigo scratched his head and walked up to Toushirou. Rukia slapped his head again and he immediately apologised to both Tayomi and Toushirou for failing to recognise their relationship status. Tayomi simply laughed and told him it was alright. Their first day at school had been rather entertaining. As their apartment was relatively close to Ichigo's house, the six Shinigami decided to walk home with Ichigo and his friends. One by one, they introduced themselves to Tayomi. Tayomi smiled at them, reminding herself to remember Orihime, Chad and Ishida's names.

* * *

The sky had turned dark and it rained without stopping. The raindrops beat against the window panes, producing a sleepy environment. Hitsugaya woke up from his nap and realised that Tayomi was awake. Her bed was empty and he knew that she was up. Ruffling his hair, he threw off his blanket and dragged his feet to the living room, searching for her. His heart started to beat faster and faster, when he realised that she was nowhere in sight. She was not in the living room, or the study or the kitchen. Crossing his fingers, he raced up to the rooftop, hoping she was there.

True enough, Tayomi was there. She sat on the ground, wearing her grey jacket and hugging her knees to her chest. He knew that she had been sitting there for quite a long time, as her hair and clothes were completely soaked. Tayomi stared at the building across their apartment as the raindrops continued to fall on her. The only time she did such things was when she was upset. Walking up behind her, Hitsugaya hugged her tight.

"They died there…" Tayomi whispered. "That was where the massacre took place."

She began to cry and Hitsugaya tightened his grip around her. He kissed her cheek, hoping that she would stay strong. Whispering back into her ear, he told her that someday, Aizen would get his retribution. The deaths of her friends would definitely be avenged. Tayomi nodded, telling him that she wanted to kill Aizen. Sharing the same sentiments as her, he squeezed her waist tight, promising her that when the time came, they would kill Aizen together. Remaining in the rain, the two of them stayed in the open air, holding each other tight, carrying the same resolve to get rid of Aizen for once and for all, for the sake of the innocent lives that he had mercilessly taken. Tayomi sighed in content, glad to have someone like Hitsugaya by her side to care for her, protect her and love her. Hitsugaya rested his chin on her shoulder, determined to help her fulfil her wish.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY! So Ichigo and friends have finally met Tayomi :D Next chapter onwards, we will return to Tayomi's point of view. And next chapter will be more light-hearted, as the Shinigami learn to adapt to life in the Human World :D Like Internet, homework, irritating classmates, strange encounters and what lots of people call 'camwhoring'! XD It's time to spam candid shots!  
I'm so happy that I managed to get this chapter up. Have to write as much as I can before my pace slows down due to the exams :D My exams end in 15th October, so I'll definitely be full steam ahead by then, spamming Chapters! But for the time being, I'll write minimum once a week, hopefully I have time to have my life and write more often :)  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review (I love hearing your comments on the story!)! :D Thanks for reading + reviewing! ^.^


	29. Little Moments in Life

**CHAPTER 29: LITTLE MOMENTS IN LIFE**

Tayomi stared at the textbooks blankly. She did not remember 'studying for tests in the Living World' being included in her agenda. Captain-commander Yamamoto had told them to get used to life in the Living World and somehow, studying had been dragged into their life once again. She twirled her pen and stuck it behind her ear. She felt as if she was a student of the Spiritual Arts Academy again, but was studying different subjects. The subjects that humans studied in school were so strange, yet so fascinating. She could not help but feel enthralled by what she was reading. Although the subjects were intriguing, studying them was a daunting task. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she forced herself to keep awake and study. Though it was only three in the afternoon, Tayomi already felt exhausted and was bored from all those books. All of a sudden, her phone rang and she checked it. Hitsugaya had sent her a message.

"_Sakuri… CHANGE YOUR ANNOYING MESSAGE ALERT TONE."_

Tayomi looked up from her books and stared at Hitsugaya, who was studying at his table. They were both in the study, studying for the upcoming tests. He had clearly grown sick of absorbing information and gave her a serious look. She quickly texted him back, arguing that she liked her message alert tone. Giggling, she got back to her books and read the last page. Hitsugaya texted her back, sighing as his fingers flew across the keyboard. Her message tone was incredibly annoying. Right after he sent the message, her phone rang again. Tayomi read his message and finished reading the last page, before running over to him and hugging him from the back. He looked up into her eyes and her bright smile, resisting the urge to pinch her bright pink cheeks. She was one step ahead of him, poking his cheek and kissing it, before running off to keep her textbooks. For the past two weeks in the Living World, Tayomi had been incredibly hyper, excited to try anything in the Human World, acting as if it was the first time she had arrived in the Living World. She was like an overexcited little girl, but then again, that was what made her so adorable and lovable.

Once she was done keeping her books, she dashed out from her chair and into Matsumoto's room. The two of them were the only girls in the house and relied on each other's company whenever they wanted to do girly things. Matsumoto and she had decided to have fun together once she was done studying. As anyone expected, Matsumoto did not intend to study as hard as the others. In fact, it was possible that she did not study at all. They closed the door and giggled to themselves. Matsumoto switched on the radio and played their favourite song. It had been two weeks since they had entered the Living World and they had spent quite some time trying to learn how to dance. After much hard work and watching the music video over and over again, they had finally learnt it. Now, they were going to try it out for themselves. Matsumoto and Tayomi stood in front of the mirror, before blasting the music out loud. They turned up the volume, laughing to themselves. Once it started, they began dancing, just like normal teenage girls. It was rare that she got to act like a teenager and Tayomi certainly enjoyed the feeling of being grown up and youthful at the same time. Other than playing the guitar, she hardly did anything that normal teenagers did. Sometimes, leading a simple and happy life seemed like the perfect life for her. Suddenly, the door to Matsumoto's room flew open and an angry Hitsugaya stood in the doorway. Matsumoto and Tayomi were stunned, rooted to the ground and staring at him. The three of them stared at each other blankly.

"I was going to get you to turn down the volume…" Hitsugaya grumbled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?"

"Ooh Taicho, we're dancing!" Matsumoto squealed excitedly. "Want to join us?"

"No." He replied bluntly.

"Why not?" Matsumoto attempted to persuade her Captain. "It's fun!"

"I said NO." Hitsugaya shouted. "Turn down the volume and let me study in peace!"

"TAYOMI-CHAN! LOCK THE DOOR!" Matsumoto shouted excitedly. "It's time to use FORCE!"

"OKAY!" Tayomi giggled excitedly, locking the door and whipping out her phone. "IT'S CAMWHORE TIME!"

"Cam… What?" Hitsugaya stuttered.

"SMILE AT THE CAMERA!"

"WHAT?"

* * *

That evening, Ichigo and his friends came over to their place to study together. They sat in a circle in the living room, munching on food and studying their textbooks. Tayomi sat in between Matsumoto and Rukia, while Hitsugaya was sitting opposite her, in between Ichigo and Renji. He was madly hoping that the two would keep quiet and not spring into an argument all of a sudden. Hitsugaya was still grumbling after he had been innocently dragged into what Matsumoto called a 'Camwhore session'. He sighed, wondering how they managed to spend an hour and a half taking pictures in front of the mirror. Tayomi seemed to enjoy it though and he wanted to see her happy. But surely, there was another way to have fun. Tayomi smiled at him, chewing her pink bubble gum. She had felt rather bored after all that studying and the bubble gum had made it a little more fun. The sweetness of the gum came into contact with her taste buds, as she grinned, happy to taste the sugar. Just then, Orihime asked her why she had not blown a bubble. Tayomi stared at her blankly and it was obvious that she had no idea how to blow it. Orihime giggled and tried to teach Tayomi to blow a bubble. Following Orihime's instructions, she chewed the gum happily and attempted to blow a bubble.

"Go Yomi-chan!" Orihime squealed excitedly.

Instead of becoming a bright pink bubble, the gum flew out of her mouth, flying right across and hitting a certain someone in the face. The pink gum was stuck on his face, as he grumbled.

"Tayomi…"

"AHHHH SUSU-CHAN! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRYYYYYYY!"

She ran over to him and pulled the gum off his face, before putting it back in her mouth and chewing it again.

"You don't have to do that you know…" Hitsugaya sighed.

"Eh… It's not like you're contaminated!" Tayomi smiled. " Hime-chan! I'm going to try again…"

Hitsugaya screamed. "NO! TAYOMI, DON'T!"

* * *

After an hour of studying, everyone felt rather restless and closed their books. Matsumoto suggested playing 'Truth or Dare', her favourite game. Ishida simply pushed his glasses up his nose bridge, sighing. Matsumoto would go completely insane whenever she played that game, coming up with the most outrageous dares ever. Excitedly, she spun the bottle and it pointed to Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya sighed. Once again, he was being dragged into something he did not enjoy.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" Orihime beamed. "I just received an awesome idea from my friend, Chibi-Taichou! I dare you to hug Rangiku-san in front of Yomi-chan!"

"Wow, I didn't know Orihime had such a mind for dares…" Rukia spoke in shock.

"OOH! COME HERE, TAICHO!"

Matsumoto ran to Hitsugaya and forced him into a hug. He choked, as he was suffocated by Matsumoto's chest. She had a strange smell on her, the smell of perfume. Tayomi watched intently as the two of them hugged. It was such a strange sight, seeing his face stuffed in Matsumoto's chest. He drew back abruptly, running off into his room.

Tayomi sighed and followed him into their room to drag him back out. His face was bright red and he looked so adorable. She ran up to him, giving him a hug as well.

Once the both of them were back in their seats, Hitsugaya spun the bottle. It landed on Tayomi and Matsumoto laughed happily.

"Sakuri, I just realised something…" Ichigo pointed out. "Why is it that Toushirou's Zanpakutou is strapped to his back, but yours isn't? I mean, your Zanpakutou is pretty long…"

Tayomi instantly blushed. "Well… It's a long story…"

Everyone bent closer, eager to listen to the reason why she never carried Inazuma Kaze on her back. Tayomi stared at Hitsugaya with an innocent look, hoping that he would explain in her place. She tugged on his arm, begging him to help her explain to the others. Hitsugaya looked back at her blankly, before nodding and sighing.

"Well, you see… She did try that before." Hitsugaya replied coldly. "I tried to teach her how to keep her Zanpakutou and she ended up injuring her back. She tried to keep it, but she couldn't aim properly, so her Zanpakutou's blade scratched her all the way across her back. After that, I suggested that she keep her Zanpakutou in her sash. I refuse to heal her again for such a stupid reason."

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Tayomi shouted. "It wasn't my fault it went out of control and I ended up having a nice wound across my back…"

"WAIT!" Matsumoto had a cheeky grin on her face. "Taicho, you healed Tayomi-chan after that?"

"Yes." Hitsugaya nodded.

"If her wound was on her back… That means…" Matsumoto grinned widely. "OOH TAICHO! DID YOUR NOSE BLEED? ARE YOU SURE YOU WOULD REFUSE TO HEAL HER IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN?"

Hitsugaya and Tayomi's faces both turned bright red. Tayomi shook her head, diverting their attention and suggesting they play 'Dance Dance Revolution'. All the girls cheered happily, while the boys simply groaned. The girls got enthusiastic, as they set up the mat and the remotes. Once the game appeared on the screen, they all squealed happily, while the boys sighed. The girls grinned and decided to drag the boys into the game. Their first victim was Ichigo, who grumbled and complained about how bored he got whenever Isshin persuaded him to play it with him. He dragged his feet onto the mat, causing Rukia to slap him in the head.

"What am I doing?" Ichigo groaned, as the other guys stared at him in horror.

"GET SERIOUS, YOU IDIOT!" Rukia screamed, as she hit every single arrow.

"Kurosaki, you should be glad that your opponent isn't Tayomi…" Hitsugaya sighed, as he recounted how he was dragged into the game and suffered a miserable defeat.

"Yeah! Tayomi Taicho trashed Hitsugaya Taicho… Big time!" Renji smirked.

"Abarai… SHUT UP!"

* * *

That night, they decided to watch a movie on the television. Ichigo had brought over some horror DVDs and let everyone take a vote on what to watch. Matsumoto grumbled at the fact that there were no romance DVDs and Ikkaku got excited. Yumichika sighed and flicked his hair, commenting on how ugly the monsters in the cover looked. After much debate, the boys finally picked a film, as the girls groaned. They grabbed chips, popcorn and fizzy drinks from the fridge, gathering their jackets and blankets. They switched off all the lights, lowered the temperature of the air conditioner and settled down. The movie started, with creepy music in the background. Tayomi sat in between Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, Yumichika, Renji and Ikkaku sat next to them, Ichigo and Rukia were sitting on the carpet together, with Ishida, Orihime and Chad. Hitsugaya put his arm around Tayomi, positive that she would be scared in fifteen minutes. Tayomi blinked and tightened her grip around his waist, as horrifying images appeared on the screen. _Don't scream, don't scream…_

Just then, a scream echoed throughout the pitch black living room. Tayomi's eyes were wide open in shock for a second, before Hitsugaya held her close to him and let her hide her face in his chest. She felt a lot better after that, as he stroked her hair. All sorts of terrible sounds blasted from the television, as the horror film continued to play and everyone was stunned by the grotesque graphics and gore.

Once the movie ended, they switched the lights back on. It was almost twelve midnight and Tayomi and Hitsugaya had fallen asleep together. They were hugging each other tightly, deep in slumber, not knowing that everyone was staring at them.

"I have got to take a picture of this!" Matsumoto squealed as she took out her phone and snapped a picture of the two Captains. "And a video! I'm definitely uploading this onto SoulTube…"

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Yayyyyy... :D SO KAWAII! Tayomi shares my fear of horror movies. And the failure at bubblegum blowing! The bubblegum incident was inspired by my friends... My friend tried to blow a bubble and she ended up 'spitting' it onto my other friend's bed XD  
I hope you all liked this chapter! :D I wanna thank Chibi-Taichou, VampirePrincess987, Tiryn, XxDark-maiden201xX, IdentifiedLuna1998, tokidokicutie, LunaBlackLovesPie, Exile7 and sasusakufan2357 for the awesome reviews! And FuzzyShadowFoxx, kanna yamamoto, Maii04, Lovia7, MiniTyou, pokecharmer007 and soulraven98 for favouriting this story! And rainbowdragongirl101 for adding this to your story alert list! :D  
Next chapter, the gang will have their first clash with Aizen and Ichimaru! The clash won't be too long though... Anyways Hitsugaya and Tayomi take on Aizen, with their blades full of hate! And YES! TAYOMI'S ZANAPAKUTOU'S UNIQUE FEATURE WILL BE REVEALED NEXT CHAPTER! :D (it'll be a major cliffhanger, of course, because I'll explain it only in Chapter 31) So stay tuned! Please review! Thank youuuu ! ^.^


	30. The Last Resort

**CHAPTER 30: THE LAST RESORT**

Tayomi ran her fingers through her long black hair with one hand and held her school bag with the other. School had ended at last and it was finally time to return home. Lessons that day had been absolutely boring. She had spent most of her time gazing at Hitsugaya, who turned back from his seat every once in a while to smile at her. She sighed in content, as she felt his arm find its way behind her and curl around her waist. Feeling a little tired, she yawned sleepily and walked home together with her friends.

Once they reached home, she undid her ribbon, threw herself onto her bed and hugged her bunny. Hitsugaya watched her fall asleep and sighed. He took off his shirt and grabbed a black shirt from his closet, using it to cover her. He stroked her hair and gazed at her closed eyes. Matsumoto was about to enter the room and ask her Captain something, but held back once she saw him and Tayomi having a moment together. She smiled and hurriedly asked everyone to gather. The four Shinigami peered through the gap and smiled in content, as Hitsugaya proceeded to lie down beside Tayomi. He covered himself with the shirt as well and hugged her tight, as they lay on her bed together, covered by his black shirt. Tayomi tossed and turned in her sleep, making it hard for him to hold her. Hitsugaya kissed her on the forehead as the whole room was silent, except for the sound of the breeze from the air conditioner, their breathing and their heartbeats.

Two hours later, she rustled from her sleep and opened her eyes slowly. She saw Hitsugaya in front of her, gazing at her. She felt his arm around her and noticed that he was shirtless, causing her to blush a little. Looking down, she realised that her first two buttons had become undone after tossing and turning in her sleep.

"Susu-chan, what time is it?" She asked.

"I don't know…" He replied, lost in her eyes, before subconsciously looking downwards at her chest.

"You're staring at my chest again…" Tayomi's cheeks turned bright red.

"No, I'm not." He sighed. _What did I just do again?_

Tayomi leaned over Hitsugaya and grabbed her watch, checking the time. It was five in the evening and she squeaked in shock. Ichigo and his friends were coming over at four in the afternoon! That meant that they were already here… And Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika did not bother to wake them up. Tayomi got up immediately and jumped off her bed, grabbed clothes from her closet and got changed immediately. Hitsugaya scratched his head and put on a shirt, waiting for Tayomi to get changed. Once she was out, she blushed, grabbed his hand and went out of the room together. Ichigo and everyone else were waiting for them. They nodded at Hitsugaya and Tayomi, smiling. Tayomi smiled back and everyone left the room, heading towards the city for dinner.

* * *

They walked through the dark streets, lighted only by the streetlamps. Suddenly, Tayomi's ears picked up footsteps from behind them. She turned around and saw a most horrendous sight. It was Aizen and Ichimaru. They both grinned at her and she felt Hitsugaya squeeze her hand.

"Hello, Tayomi-chan…" Aizen smirked. "We meet again."

Aizen walked towards Tayomi, with Ichimaru following behind him. Once they were spotted, all eight Shinigami popped the Soul Candy into their mouths and transformed into their Shinigami form. Ishida prepared his Quincy Bow, Orihime was ready to use Shun Shun Rikka and Chad's arm had transformed. After a month since their arrival, Aizen and Ichimaru had finally decided to strike. Everyone was unsure if Kyoka Suigetsu had been fixed, but upon seeing its shining blade, they instantly knew that it was ready to be used in battle again. Aizen smirked, as he claimed that he was ready to dominate the world and make his comeback once again. He reached out to touch Tayomi's cheek, but Hitsugaya pushed Aizen away violently, protecting her from him.

"Don't touch her."

Hitsugaya drew out his blade and dashed towards Aizen, not bothered by the fact that he had been fooled by Kyoka Suigetsu's illusions previously. Tayomi instantly rushed after him, determined not to let his impulsive nature get the better of him. She unsheathed Inazuma Kaze and released it, trying to avoid looking at Aizen's Zanpakutou. Aizen smiled, commenting how glad he was that Tayomi had finally decided to come close to him. Her blade crashed against Aizen's, producing a defeaning sound. Hitsugaya stared at her in shock, he had never seen her resolve burn so strongly before. Tayomi drew back, holding Hitsugaya's hand and scolding him for being impulsive. Aizen watched the two of them bicker for a short while, before sighing and using Shunpo to strike at them. Tayomi instantly reacted by blocking his Zanpakutou's blade.

"A girl worthy enough to have a place in my heart indeed…" Aizen smiled.

"Shut up, Aizen…" Tayomi shouted back at him. "Stop acting so high and mighty. The Hougyoku has been plucked out from your chest and your extra powers with it. You're back to square one, with your normal powers before you defected. Taiho Kin!"

The spears of light glowed, as it appeared in the form of spiritual fabric and flew towards Aizen. The fabric wound itself round Aizen's body, tying him up and creating a devastating explosion. The impact of the explosion was so great that even Tayomi had to back away from Aizen once she fused the two Kidou spells and used it against him. She covered her eyes and waited for the smoke to disappear, before looking up. To her utmost shock, she realised that Aizen had escaped her spell, for some unknown reason. _Damn it!_ Nodding at Hitsugaya, they both released their Bankai and so did Renji and Ichigo. Even though they were furiously trying to avoid destroying the area, they had to cast aside that thought for now. Their top priority was defeating Aizen and destroying him, or at least, injuring him to the best of their abilities. The last time Aizen entered Karakura Town, he had taken several innocent lives. None of them were about to let history repeat itself again. This time, there would be no deaths, except for Aizen's.

Aizen smirked and stepped back, as Ichimaru hopped over in front of him. Aizen whispered something into his ear and Ichimaru's grin widened. Aizen walked to the corner of the alley, as he allowed Ichimaru to stand in for him and do all the fighting. Matsumoto's heart was bleeding by now. _Why? Why have you become like that? _She ran towards Ichimaru, with Haineko in her grasp and attempted to stab him, just like how he stabbed her before. Ichimaru simply dodged her attack and headed for Tayomi and Hitsugaya, releasing his Zanpakutou. Tayomi and Hitsugaya deactivated their Bankai and activated their Shikai, rushing towards Ichimaru with their Zanpakutous in hand and striking at him. Ichimaru blocked both of their blades abruptly, with his wide grin still wiped all over his face. Tayomi pushed her blade against Ichimaru's with all her strength, as Ichimaru grinned happily at her.

"Hey, don't cha think it's sorta unfair if you both take me on at the same time?" Ichimaru teased. "Show some love for ya fellow prodigy, can't ya?"

"No, I won't show any for you!" Tayomi shook her head stubbornly.

"Oh my, Tayomi-chan's losin' her cool!" Ichimaru laughed. "Hitsugaya-kun, ya might wanna cool her down… And it's still pretty unfair to fight me, two against one!"

"Fine." Hitsugaya replied coldly. "Tayomi, stand back."

"But…" Tayomi protested.

"JUST STAND BACK!" He shouted at her. "I'm not going to let you risk your life again! I don't care what happens to me, but I can't let anything happen to you!"

Tayomi stood back meekly, stunned by Hitsugaya's actions. That was the first time he had shouted at her so fiercely, but she knew that he did so out of love. She knew that he was too afraid to lose her again, after her disappearance. But she knew that she could not lose him as well. Taking a deep breath, she decided to believe in him and his abilities, letting him fight Ichimaru alone. Ichimaru grinned and let Hitsugaya run towards him. Tayomi watched the fight ensue, as her heart beat rapidly. She knew that he was definitely stronger than Ichimaru, but Ichimaru was clever and sly enough to outsmart him. Ichimaru released his Shikai, as his blade extended in length at a high speed. Hitsugaya avoided it abruptly and slashed Ichimaru's arm. Tayomi turned to her right and looked at Matsumoto, whose eyes were wide open in shock. She felt furious right now, how could Ichimaru be so… Irresponsible? It hurt her to see her friend in such pain over a jerk. Tayomi clenched her fists, tempted to join the fight. But she knew that she had to respect Hitsugaya's wishes and remained rooted in her position, as the two fought. She was well-aware that he was blinded by his own rage now and hoped he would be careful. Hitsugaya froze Ichimaru's arm and pushed him aside, heading straight for Aizen.

Aizen smiled, as Hitsugaya rushed towards him, his face full of anger. He released his Bankai, his blade full of hate. It was Aizen's fault. It was because of Aizen, his childhood friend was hurt, Soul Society was thrown into chaos and he had been separated from the girl he loved the most for decades. Hitsugaya raised his blade and struck against the air. Just then, he realised that he had been tricked, as Aizen disappeared into thin air. It was Kyoka Suigetsu. He had been fooled by illusions and deceptions again. He felt a hand grab him by the neck, fully aware that it was Aizen who had grabbed him. Aizen slashed at his ice wings and Tayomi watched in horror as blood spattered against the wall and across the floor. Blood poured from his wounds, causing Aizen to smile.

"Give it up, Tayomi-chan… Drop your Zanpakutou." Aizen smiled. "You can choose to come with me, or to watch Hitsugaya-kun die…"

Tayomi's heart was in turmoil. Hitsugaya was in Aizen's hands. Ichimaru's blade was pointed at her neck. Aizen wanted her to give up. But she knew she could not. As the Captain of the 5th Division, a Captain of the Gotei 13, she simply could not stand down and let her comrades suffer the wrath of such a villain. But then again, if she did not stand down, it would come at the cost of Hitsugaya's life. It would come at the cost of losing the boy whom she had been fighting to see all these years. The situation looked bleak. _I guess I really have to do it, then…_

"Fine." She replied bluntly.

Aizen grinned and the others gasped in shock. Hitsugaya, trying to bear with his injuries, screamed at Tayomi, asking her what she was doing.

"Any last words, Tayomi-chan?" Ichimaru asked.

"Yeah." Tayomi turned to Hitsugaya. "Susu-chan, if there is water around, you can regenerate your Bankai, right?"

Hitsugaya nodded slowly, still stunned by her sudden question. _What is she doing?_

"Alright, that's all I need to know." Tayomi closed her eyes and nodded, dropping her blade onto the ground. Aizen and Ichimaru grinned.

Tayomi suddenly opened her eyes. The colours of her eyes were no longer purplish-blue, but were now a dark shade of navy blue. It was absolutely frightening, as everyone was confused about what was going on, including Aizen and Ichimaru.

"Oborejinu, Inazuma Kaze*."

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***Oborejinu, Inazuma Kaze: Drown, Inazuma Kaze

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**No, it wasn't a mistake! Tayomi DID give a second command to her Zanpakutou! :D Her Zanpakutou is drowning...  
Next chapter, we shall find out exactly what is going on! What does this second form of Inazuma Kaze do? How does it work? Why hasn't Tayomi used it through the whole story and waited for 61 chapters to use it? XD Stay tuned to find out!  
I'm gonna start studying for my exams tomorrow, so the chapters won't be out as quick as it usually is T.T But I'll definitely update when I can! Hence the reason for 2 uploads in one day :D I bet you're going to hate the way I left such a big cliffhanger there XD  
Hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks ^.^


	31. The Drowning Inazuma Kaze

**CHAPTER 31: THE DROWNING INAZUMA KAZE**

The silver layer of her Zanpakutou's blade peeled off slowly, revealing a clear blue blade beneath it. The silver fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, as everyone stared at Tayomi's new blade. It was transparent, having a blue shade just like the sea. Water started to pour from her Zanpakutou, circling around her and creating a massive whirlpool. With such a great amount of water in the area, Hitsugaya's Bankai instantly regenerated and he managed to break free from Aizen's grasp. Aizen was completely stunned, having no idea of what was going on. In fact, no one knew what was happening. Tayomi had never mentioned the existence of such a power to anyone, not even Hitsugaya himself.

Once the waves died down, Tayomi emerged from underwater. Her eyes were still in its dark shade of blue and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, using a dark blue ribbon. She glared at Aizen and Ichimaru for a moment, before finally opening her mouth to speak.

"I can't stand you both already." She said coldly and calmly. "I hate how every single time, the peace in this world has to be disrupted by you. People are merely trying to get by and live their lives, but for you, being Captains are far too little for your insatiable greed. No one has taken the seat in Heaven, there is no supreme God right now, ruling over us. It's obviously because there isn't a need to have one. We can take care of ourselves and drive our world into a better future. Even if we had to have a ruler reign over our world, it certainly wouldn't be you."

Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou tightly.

"Ichimaru… Hitsugaya Taicho once told me that you described him as the heavenly guardian who appears every few centuries…" She had an evil grin on her face. "If that is true, then Aizen and you aren't in a very good position now, because in this period of time, there were actually two of them. Both of you knew that all along, so you tried to get rid of one of them decades ago… But you failed… And now that one is going to make you pay."

Hitsugaya stared at Tayomi with her eyes wide open. _Did she refer to me as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'?_ Tayomi began to release her spirit force, as her reiatsu surrounded her completely, causing the sky to turn dark and lightning to streak across the sky, with no sign of stopping. Everyone gasped and looked up at the sky. It was rare to see a Captain completely release his or her reiatsu, but even rarer to see it begin to affect the immediate vicinity. By now, the whole area was struck by lightning and flooded with water. The water was cold as ice, reaching up to Tayomi's waist. Hitsugaya noticed that her hands had begun to bleed, her blood trailing down the area between her thumb and finger.

"Arashi ga hitobito aku ka ni koeta. Korera no tsumi ni kaminari ga gekika. To mizu wa sorera o subete yami no fuka-sa ni obore. Ropu.*"

Her Zanpakutou's blade transformed into a long whip, reinforced by water. Tayomi swung her arm, allowing the whip to fly towards Aizen and Ichimaru. They used their Zanpakutou to block her attack, struggling to keep the whip away from them. Tayomi's eyebrows were pointed downwards and her hands continued to bleed, dripping into the water and creating red-coloured ripples in the ice cold liquid. Ichimaru grinned as he attempted to keep her blade of water from touching him. Aizen showed a hint of shock, as he battled with the force of the water. All of a sudden, Tayomi appeared behind the both of them and slashed their backs. She descended back underwater, as Aizen and Ichimaru watched blood pour from their wounds. Hitsugaya had not spoken a single word, unaware of what she was doing. He had never seen that side of her before. Sure, he had seen her eyes turn purple, but never dark blue. It was almost frightening, as it made him feel as if he did not know her. But still, he loved her. He knew that it was still her. She jumped out from the water, rushing towards Ichimaru. A huge wave of water followed behind her, crashing into Ichimaru, attempting to suffocate him. Lightning from the sky struck, speeding towards Aizen. The whole atmosphere was stormy, dark and full of anger. Tayomi sunk back into the water. Now, most of her hand was stained with blood. Hitsugaya began to feel furious. He swore he would kill whoever tried to touch her. She was bleeding now and he was tempted to kill Aizen and Ichimaru for making her drip even a single drop of blood.

Tayomi jumped up from the water, behind Ichimaru. Her hand was fully covered in blood. All of a sudden, her eyes returned to its usual purplish-blue and the water vanished. The storm came to a stop and Tayomi's ribbon slipped off, as her long black hair fell back into its place. Ichimaru grinned, knowing that it was over for her.

"Ikorose, Shinso."

Ichimaru's blade began to glow and it extended rapidly, impaling Tayomi in the chest as she fell. Grinning, he looked at his opponent, stabbed in the chest and hanging on his blade. Hitsugaya screamed, as Ichimaru withdrew his blade and Tayomi fell to the ground, her blood gushing from her wounds. Hitsugaya unsheathed his Zanpakutou, all ready to kill Ichimaru, when Matsumoto held him back. Aizen and Ichimaru opened the Garganta and escaped. Before they left, Ichimaru turned behind and smiled.

"Take good care of ya lil' darlin', Hitsugaya-kun."

As the Garganta closed, Hitsugaya ran towards Tayomi and cradled her in his arms. Her chest continued to bleed profusely, as he held her close to his chest, trying to hold back his tears. He could no longer hold it back, as tears trickled down his face and he pressed his lips against her forehead. Orihime ran towards Tayomi and Hitsugaya backed away, as Orihime began treatment. He gazed at her, his heart burning with nothing but pain and hatred. He swore he would kill Aizen. He definitely would. Matsumoto looked at her Captain, before looking at her friend. Why did things have to turn out this way?

* * *

Hitsugaya sat in front of the screen, with the others behind him. He had informed Captain-commander Yamamoto of Aizen's actions, including details on how Tayomi was injured. Captain Ukitake and Captain Shunsui were present as well, listening to Hitsugaya as he told them the whole event's happenings. Ukitake sighed and decided to clear their doubts. He explained that Tayomi had a second Shikai all along and he was the only one who knew about it, since she had gotten it while she was training with him. Her second Shikai, known as the 'Drowning' form of Inazuma Kaze, was not related to hollows. It was merely a release of every single negative emotion in her soul. Tayomi was still unable to control it, just like how no one could ever control themselves when they were blinded by a certain emotion. It was because of her second Shikai, it was much more complicated for her to achieve her first Bankai, Inazuma Arashi. Whenever her Zanpakutou's spirit was in a bad mood, she could only work on the 'Drowning' Inazuma Kaze. Although it possessed a devastating destructive force, it was absolutely draining on the reiatsu. The blood on her hands served as a time limit, as once her hands were fully stained with her blood, the 'Drowning' Inazuma Kaze would deactivate itself immediately and she would be left with little energy to fight. That was why Tayomi tried to avoid using her second Shikai as far as possible, unless left without a choice. The 'Drowning' Inazuma Kaze lasted for approximately five minutes and she knew that trying to use it in battle was extremely risky. Hitsugaya sighed, knowing that she took that risk for his sake.

Tayomi opened her eyes and rustled from her sleep. The last thing she remembered was Ichimaru's blade going right through her chest. She awoke and saw Hitsugaya smiling at her, causing her to smile back. Secretly, she wondered if he was mad at her for keeping her true powers to herself. She hid her face in her bunny's fur, trying to bear with the pain that her injury gave her. There was no way she would allow herself to scream in pain in front of him and make him worry about her. Hitsugaya seemed to notice her troubled state of mind and kissed her gently on the lips, before holding her hand.

"Why did you hide it from me?" He whispered.

"I didn't mean to…" Tayomi sighed. "I just didn't think that there would come a time where I had to use it… I'm sorry…"

"There's no need to apologise." He smiled. "Are you hiding anything else from me?"

Tayomi looked away. She knew what he was referring to. Hitsugaya was smart enough to know that Aizen had told her something.

"Aizen…" Tayomi spoke hesitantly. "That time… At Hueco Mundo… He confessed…"

"WHAT?"

Hitsugaya shouted so loudly that Tayomi was taken aback. He tried to calm down, afraid to scare her. Tayomi tried to get up and did so with much effort, trying to ignore the sharp pain that she felt in her chest. She reached out her hands and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. He was agitated now and she knew that she had to calm him down, somehow. She ran her fingers through his hair, effectively making him calm down, as she felt his breath blow past her neck. Hitsugaya held her in his arms, wondering what he should say. He pondered for a moment, before deciding on his words.

"Sakuri?"

"Hm?"

"Don't keep anything else from me…" He sighed. "Don't."

Tayomi hesitated a little, but gave him her promise. She nodded slowly, tightening her grip around his neck. After a moment, she tried to get up from her bed, but he forced her back onto the bed.

"You're still injured." Hitsugaya sighed. "So don't think about getting up now."

"But I'm so bored…" Tayomi whined.

"Do you want me to create a barrier around you?" He replied, smirking.

"You know that won't work…" She giggled weakly. "I'll break it from the inside, so I'll get out anyway. I still want to get up though… I want to talk to someone."

Hitsugaya stubbornly refused, but gave in to her after much persuasion and tugging on his arm. She got up and pulled him towards the study, in front of the screen. The screen was switched on, with Hisagi, Ukitake and Hinamori standing there, asking after her. Hinamori bombarded her Captain with questions, worried about her injuries. Ukitake was worried as well, but it seemed that Hisagi was the most worried of them all. He continued to ask after her, making Hitsugaya feel a tinge of jealousy. Tayomi noticed that instantly and squeezed Hitsugaya's hand.

"Don't worry… Hina-chan, Juushi-kun, Shuu-kun…" Tayomi smiled. "I'll be fine, Susu-chan and the others will take care of me."

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***The storm transcends upon those who do evil. The lightning rages over those who sin. And the water drowns them all into the depths of darkness. Rope.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well, that's the mechanism of her Zanpakutou's secret feature explained :D And that makes her Zanpakutou TRIPLE ELEMENTAL XD  
I'm having fun in school being a no-lifer lol, I've been studying hard. I'm having a biology test on friday OMG D: Not exactly very confident, but I've begun studying ever since Monday, on top of revising for the end of year exams. So I shall do my best to do well for this test and update as much as I can. Next week, I have two tests, so I'll see how updating goes... Because I end quite late everyday next week T.T  
Next chapter, Tayomi asks Hitsugaya if he wants to start a family :D YES! But they aren't gonna do anything inappropriate and there won't be a mini Shiro-chan/Yomi-chan popping out of nowhere, don't worry XD It'll be cute though! Starting a family does not neccessarily mean getting a kid :D (To her, at least) I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	32. Kawaii!

**CHAPTER 32: KAWAII!**

Tayomi was thoroughly distracted as she read through the reports. There was so much going on in her mind at that moment. It had been two weeks since Aizen and Ichimaru had ambushed them. So far, they had not made a single move. It was much too strange for them to stay inactive for such a long time. Her injuries were fully healed, but something still bothered her inside. She looked up and stared in Hitsugaya's direction. He was busy looking at his Division's reports as well, since Matsumoto was unwilling to do the paper work. Chewing her pink bubble gum, she wondered if she should ask him that question. But she could not imagine his reaction. There were so many possibilities, he could be either angry or simply sigh. Hitsugaya looked up and noticed that Tayomi was staring at him, with a blank look on her face. He shook his head, instantly knowing that she was spacing out again. He walked over to her and waved his hand in her face. Tayomi got a shock and almost fell off her chair.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Um…" Tayomi hesitated, wondering if she should ask him.

"Just say it."

She stared down at her two fingers poking each other, blushing slightly. Taking a deep breath, she decided to ask him at last.

"LET'S START A FAMILY!" She smiled widely.

"WHAT?"

"… You don't like the idea?"

Tayomi sighed in disappointment. She was hoping that acting a little more enthusiastically might help the situation, but apparently, it did not. He was as unresponsive as she feared he would be. Hitsugaya noticed that she looked sad and tried to justify himself.

"No… Not that. It's just that…" He scratched his head, wondering how he could explain to her his circumstances. "Aren't we too young? We've never exactly done anything like that before… And I promised Ukitake that I wouldn't do anything inappropriate with you… Well, until we grow up, at least…"

"INAPPROPRIATE?"

Tayomi suddenly stood up and shouted at him. She wondered what was going through his mind right now. What was so inappropriate about starting a family? There was not anything inappropriate involved. In fact, she thought it was a rather adorable idea.

"Yeah… I mean… "He started to panic. "We're too young to do it… You know what 'it' is, don't you?"

"SINCE WHEN WAS I REFERRING TO THAT?" She screamed and smacked him in the head. "WHY WOULD I WANT TO DO THAT?"

"THEN WHAT WERE YOU REFERRING TO?" Hitsugaya screamed back.

"Bunnies…"

* * *

Hitsugaya gathered Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika in the living room, while Tayomi was in her room practising her guitar. He sighed and announced to the other Shinigami that he would be starting a 'family' with Tayomi. Upon hearing the news, Matsumoto jumped up and squealed happily, excited to have a new member in their house. As for the guys, they simply gasped in shock and their jaws dropped. They had never imagined Captain Hitsugaya to actually be the type of guy who did such things. Hitsugaya grumbled, knowing that they had obviously gotten the wrong idea, just like he did. He explained that Tayomi had expressed her desires for bunnies and he had decided to get her one. Matsumoto stopped squealing and her spirits fell, just when she felt so overjoyed for her Captain, whom she thought was about to go through an important phase in his life. Hitsugaya sighed, knowing exactly what was going through his Lieutenant's perverted mind. He ordered them to contact the Shinigami in Soul Society, especially Hisagi, and find a bunny for them. As he walked back into the study, Matsumoto chuckled. Her Captain was acting his age for once. _Only Tayomi-chan can bring out that adorable aspect of Taicho's personality..._

Tayomi sighed. Once she told him her real intentions, he had simply walked away. That definitely meant that he disagreed. There would be no bunnies. No adorable bunnies to hug and cuddle. She wondered why his reaction was so strange. How could he have thought that when she said 'start a family', she meant doing inappropriate stuff and having kids? Just then, Hitsugaya entered their room and there was an awkward silence. She blushed and felt her face burn up once he came in. Hugging her bunny, she slipped under her covers and tried to sleep. Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment, before leaving the room. He walked into the study to meet with the other Shinigami.

The screen flickered and was switched on. Hisagi appeared before them and Matsumoto giggled as she told him her Captain's plans. Hisagi seemed a little shocked at first, but smiled. He promised to find the bunnies for him as soon as possible. Hitsugaya nodded, then left the study room. Renji stared, wondering if Hitsugaya still had raging jealousy issues with Hisagi. Hisagi simply smiled, telling them that he was glad to see his childhood friend have a partner who truly cared for her. Matsumoto sighed, as the screen was switched off. Her childhood friend... He was still on the run and nowhere to be found. Her heart fell as she thought of the possibilities of their reunion ever taking place.

* * *

The next day, Hitsugaya secretly returned to Soul Society to meet Hisagi. It was in the middle of the night and everyone was asleep in the 9th Division's barracks. He crept into the Lieutenant's office stealthily, determined not to wake anyone up. Hisagi was already in the office, waiting for him. In his hands was a cage, containing two adorable rabbits. Smiling, he walked up to the Captain and greeted him, before explaining everything to him, like the fundamentals of caring for the two rabbits. Hitsugaya nodded as Hisagi told him everything he had done, including training the rabbits. He had also sent the other things to their house via the Senkai Gate and had told Matsumoto to hide it somewhere in their house. Hitsugaya sighed upon hearing that. _Of all people... He had to choose Matsumoto._

"Oh and Hitsugaya Taicho... Could I tell you something?" Hisagi asked.

"Fine." Hitsugaya replied coldly.

"I know you think there's something going between Tayomi-chan and me... But there really isn't. We're just really close childhood friends, like you and Hinamori Fuku-taicho. I hope you won't fall out with her because of our friendship... I'm really happy that she's found someone like you." Hisagi smiled. "Honestly, while we grew up together, I was hoping that I would be the one staying by her side forever, to protect her. But later, I knew that she wasn't for me. Our height difference didn't really help either. So... I'm glad that I can entrust my childhood friend to someone like you."

Hitsugaya was a little shocked at Hisagi's words, but showed no emotion as he nodded his head. He thanked Hisagi and opened the Senkai Gate, returning to the Living World with his new 'family members'. He furiously hoped that Tayomi would love the two bunnies.

* * *

Tayomi rubbed her eyes as the morning sunlight streamed in through the window panes. Running her fingers through her hair, she yawned and forced herself off her bed. She instantly noticed the Hitsugaya was already up before her, for once. She quickly washed up and walked out of her door. Suddenly, Matsumoto sprung out in front of her and covered her eyes with one hand, using her other hand to hold Tayomi's and dragging her to some place.

"TA-DAH!"

Tayomi blinked twice, as she saw Hitsugaya holding two rabbits in his arms. One of them was black in colour, with short ears and a tiny, furry body. The other was white like snow and looked fluffy. Tayomi squealed and jumped up and down, as Hitsugaya walked towards her and let her carry the black bunny. She held the bunny in her arms, before looking up to smile at him. Hitsugaya smiled back at her, before kissing her on the forehead. She sighed in content as she stroked the bunny's fur. She had gotten her bunnies and started a family with him after all.

She sat on the floor with her guitar on her lap and spread out her music sheets. Smiling at her bunnies, she waited for one of them to lay its paw on one of the songs. Just then, Hitsugaya entered the room and stared at her blankly. _What... is... she... doing?_ Tayomi giggled and ran up to hug him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and cuddled her for a moment.

"Susu-chan, let's give them a name!" She beamed excitedly.

Hitsugaya stared at her blankly again. Tayomi had been acting a bit crazy ever since she saw the bunnies this morning. She hugged her guitar and waited for the bunnies to help her pick a music score. He pondered for a moment. He was not exactly very good at giving names. She grinned as the white bunny finally laid its paw on a score and she picked up the sheet music, skimming through the lyrics and notes. The song seemed rather suitable. She began plucking at the strings and strumming the guitar for a short while, before she turned to him.

"Well?"

"I don't know. It's up to you. I got them for you..." Hitsugaya sighed.

"That's not true. They're not really mine..." Tayomi clung onto his arm. "They're ours. They're like our kids! We have to give them a name... "

"Okay..." Hitsugaya blinked.

"Hm..." Tayomi thought hard. "Let's combine our names together! Shikuri and... And... AND... Hitsumi!"

"Okay..."

"YAY!" Tayomi cheered happily.

* * *

That night, Shikuri and Hitsumi hopped into their basket, lined with soft hay, and fell asleep. Tayomi and Hitsugaya stroked their soft fur and watched them fall asleep. She looked at them and smiled, as Hitsugaya smiled. They got up, switched off the lights and went to bed, after kissing each other good night. Tayomi lay in her bed for a few seconds, before throwing off her covers and hopping over to Hitsugaya's bed and lying down beside him. She hugged him tightly and kissed his lips gently.

"Susu-chan..." She smiled. "Thank you..."

Hitsugaya kissed her back, before hugging her back and holding her close to his body. Stroking her hair, they gazed at each other and waited for the other to fall asleep. As expected, Tayomi fell asleep before him. Hitsugaya smiled and closed his eyes. It felt good to start a family with her.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**BUNNIES! :D YAYYYY  
Lol I finally updated! My biology test is over... And next week I have 3 tests waiting for me, so I might not update that quickly T.T  
Next chapter, we shall finally FINALLY introduce the Vizards in this FanFic! :D Tayomi will be on bad terms with one of them and argue with him/her... And eventually get into a small fight XD So stay tuned! I'll try and get it up ASAP :D  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	33. The Vizards

**CHAPTER 33: THE VIZARDS**

Tayomi yawned as she dragged her feet to the bathroom. She had been awoken by a call from Ichigo, who had contacted the Vizards and persuaded them to meet her and the other Shinigami. The Vizards were involved in the fight in the Fake Karakura Town and Tayomi knew that they would be valuable allies. She knew that they were against Aizen as well and wanted to speak to them. Even if they were rather apprehensive towards Shinigami, surely they would not refuse a chance to join forces and kill Aizen. She got dressed in her long-sleeved, white button-down shirt and denim shorts, with denim suspenders hanging over her shoulders, forming a cross on her back and attaching itself to the back of her shorts. She pulled on her long black stockings which reached up to the middle of her thigh.

Tayomi stared at Hitsugaya, who was still fast asleep despite the fact that the sunlight was shining on his face. Smiling to herself, she crept to his bed and sat on top of him, before bending down and positioning her mouth near his ear.

"SUSU-CHAN!" She screamed into his ear excitedly. "WAKE UP!"

"Argh... Go away..."

Hitsugaya waved his arm and tried to chase her away, accidentally smacking her in the face in the process. She was thrown backwards, off his bed and against the wall. She lay on the floor, completely shocked by what had just taken place. Hitsugaya got up at once, crawling out of his bed and rushing to her, apologising. Tayomi rubbed her head and shook her head. It had been so many years, yet he still had problems waking up in the morning and still loved sleeping. Just then, Matsumoto and the other Shinigami threw open the door, wondering what had happened. The scene of Hitsugaya pulling Tayomi up from the ground greeted their eyes, as they blinked twice. Ichigo asked them what had crashed and Tayomi smiled nervously, not wanting to elaborate on how Hitsugaya had hit her in the face and caused her to crash against the wall. Once the other Shinigami had left the room, Tayomi pretended to glare at Hitsugaya, before he sighed and dragged his feet to the bathroom. A few minutes later, he came out and grabbed her hand, dragging her out of the house, with the other Shinigami following them.

* * *

Ichigo led them to the Vizards' hideout, which looked like a normal warehouse, beside the fact that there was an orange barrier surrounding it. Tayomi looked up at the Vizards' headquarters, with Hitsugaya still clutching her hand tightly. Ichigo noticed that Hitsugaya had been holding onto her hand ever since they had left the house and scratched his head in bewilderment. Renji sighed and briefly summarised the past events for his friend, from the time when he met Tayomi, her disappearance and Hitsugaya's grief, all the way to her return. Ichigo blinked. He never knew that such a story existed behind the two Captains. Trying to focus his mind, he gave Shinji a call and entered the Vizards' headquarters, with the other Shinigami following behind him.

The inside of their headquarters was mainly constructed by wood, with wooden boxes lying around the area. It was definitely like a warehouse. In the far side of the warehouse, right opposite them stood the eight Vizards. The Vizards consisted of three girls and five boys. One of the girls had green hair and a bright smile on her face, while the other two looked rather stern. The only difference between the two was that one of them was blonde and the other had black hair and wore spectacles. As for the boys, they were mostly tall. One of the boys had pink hair and towered over the other Vizards. There was also a man with short, white hair and wore a sleeveless shirt. In addition, one of them had his hair spiked in the shape of a star and wore sunglasses. There was also another man with long blonde hair, who looked sleepy. Lastly, there was a tall guy with short blonde hair and had a sarcastic smile on his face, which showed his white teeth. He came forward to greet Ichigo, before noticing an unfamiliar face among the group of Shinigami. He walked up to her and asked Ichigo for her name. Ichigo replied, introducing her as the Captain of the 5th Division.

"Hey, dumbass!" The short blonde girl called out. "She took over your position!"

_What's a dumbass?_

The man with short blonde hair grumbled, before introducing the rest of the Vizards. The Vizards consisted of Kuna Mashiro, Sarugaki Hiyori, Yadomaru Lisa, Ushoda Hachigen, Muguruma Kensei, Aikawa Love, Otoribashi Rojuro and Hirako Shinji. Just then, Hiyori turned to face Hitsugaya and poked him.

"Hey Baldy! You finally got yourself a girlfriend, eh?" She taunted.

Tayomi turned to look at Hitsugaya, who was absolutely fuming. He was desperately trying to suppress his anger and he tightened his grip on her hand. Hiyori smirked as Hitsugaya grumbled, before she turned to face Tayomi. She looked at Tayomi, scanning her from head to toe, walking around her in circles.

"Ugh... Another Captain as a kid..." She yawned. "And a high-maintenance one at that..."

"...Excuse me?"

"You heard me!" Hiyori huffed. "Anyone can tell that you're some stuck-up, prissy little spoilt brat at first glance! Look at what you're wearing..."

Tayomi looked down at her white canvas sneakers, black stockings, denim shorts, white shirt and the long silver chain around her neck. _What's wrong with what I got on?_

"Nothing to say, huh?" Hiyori smirked. "Prissy..."

"WHAT?"

Tayomi let go of Hitsugaya's hand and stormed up to Hiyori. Hiyori went in her face and retaliated.

"PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY PRISSY..."

Tayomi finally understood why Hitsugaya needed to control his anger so badly. If Hiyori spouted one more word, she knew she was going to burst, but she had to suppress it. She could not flare up. She must not.

"FLAT-CHESTED!"

"THAT DOES IT!" Tayomi screamed and her hand began to glow. "IT'S NOT LIKE YOU AREN'T FLAT-CHESTED YOURSELF! YOU'RE FLAT, DAMN IT!"

"IDIOT!" Hiyori screamed back. "I BET IF I POKED YOUR CHEST, IT'LL DEFLATE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING BUT AIR IN IT!"

"WHAT THE..." Tayomi fumed. "AT LEAST I WEAR TWO PIECES OF CLOTHING UNDERNEATH... UNLIKE YOU! I BET YOU ONLY WEAR ONE!"

"GO TO HELL!" Hiyori shrieked. "NO WONDER YOU HAVE A PERVERT FOR A BOYFRIEND!"

"HE... IS... NOT... A... PERVERT!" Tayomi's hand began to glow even more. "YOU'RE A PERVERT TOO! YOU MEET A PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME AND START OBSERVING HER CHEST SIZE!"

"THERE'S NOTHING TO OBSERVE ABOUT YOURS!"

"THAT SERIOUSLY DOES IT!"

Hiyori unsheathed her Zanpakutou and Tayomi was all ready to fire a Kidou spell at her. Shinji immediately rushed forward to pull Hiyori away from Tayomi and Hitsugaya pulled Tayomi back. She was still fuming with sheer rage, after being insulted repeatedly by someone whom she had just met for the very first time. Tayomi clenched her fists, wanting to blast Hiyori in the face very badly. Hitsugaya patted her head and held her back by the waist, making her calm down slightly.

"My..." Shinji sighed. "The new Captain of the 5th Division sure is fiery... Hey, Tayomi... How's the Division?"

Tayomi instantly looked up for a moment. "The 5th Division is fine... I managed to get it sorted out after Aizen left."

Hiyori rolled her eyes. She hated that new Captain. She detested her. Tayomi noticed Hiyori rolling her eyes and turned away, pouting slightly. Ichigo went forward and asked Shinji and the Vizards if they would like to join them in the battle against Aizen, hoping to ease the tension in the atmosphere. Hitsugaya sighed and began to explain to the Vizards how Aizen had returned, including his plans and the actions he had already taken. All the Vizards were alarmed to hear of the news and showed a bit of hesitation in joining them. Tayomi knew she had to say something.

"I know you don't exactly want to get involved with Soul Society and us Shinigami again..." She spoke calmly. "But we share the same agenda. We want to kill Aizen as much as you do. So, why can't we just work together and kill him together?"

"Why would you want to kill Aizen so badly?" Shinji questioned her.

"Because just like all of you, I was one of Aizen's victims." Tayomi sighed.

"Yeah, right." Hiyori pouted. "Stupid spoilt brat, don't talk as if you know what we've gone through."

"Why wouldn't I?" Tayomi retorted, trying to hold back her tears as she recounted the painful event that separated her from Hitsugaya and her friends for decades. "Do you know what Aizen did, even after you all had left? He set up us Shinigami, one from every Division! Years ago, Captain-commander Yamamoto started this special training program in this world and I was part of it. That bastard Aizen bribed Shinigami from the Secret Mobile Corps to kill us all! In one night, he massacred everyone in the camp! Only my friend and I were left... We were lucky to survive, but we had to watch everyone just die right in front of our eyes! Why wouldn't I know how you feel?"

The Vizards looked at each other sceptically. They all agreed that Tayomi's words were probably the truth, since it would not come as a surprise if Aizen pulled off such a stunt. They nodded at each other and decided to see it as another chance for them to kill Aizen. After a brief discussion, they nodded and agreed to join the fray. Tayomi smiled. Hopefully, they were well on their way to defeating Aizen and Ichimaru, as well as restoring peace to both Karakura Town and Soul Society.

* * *

The group of Shinigami walked towards their headquarters slowly. Hitsugaya was still holding onto Tayomi's hand as tightly as ever, causing her to blush slightly. All of a sudden, it began to rain, as raindrops hit the ground incessantly. She looked up to the sky, once she felt a raindrop land on her face. The sky had darkened, but there was no lightning or thunder. Tayomi stood there, letting the rain fall on her, as she watched the raindrops descend from the clouds in the sky. Hitsugaya pulled her along and smiled, dragging her towards their house. Ichigo, Rukia, Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika all looked at each other and smiled, as they watched the two Captains run off into the rain.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY THE VIZARDS :D I like Shinji and Mashiro lol XD  
Next chapter, they find out more about Aizen's plan... Apparently, Aizen is going to seek some help from some special people. But problems will arise, as the Shinigami think of a way to enter the venue, especially with two 'children' (obviously Tayomi and Hitsugaya) beside them! How will they get in? What's Aizen going to do? Stay tuned to find out! :D  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^

P.S. For those who saw Chapter 34 on my bad news, I'm gonna keep updating. It's time to scheme and plot on ways to obtain the computer! :D Wahaha. I'm gonna update somehow, it just won't be as fast. I'm gonna have a trial period of 2 weeks, hopefully my mum forgot what she said! XD


	34. In the Zone

**CHAPTER 34: IN THE ZONE**

Tayomi, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji gathered in the study room, in front of the screen. They were waiting for Captain-commander Yamamoto's face to appear on the screen and speak to them. Tayomi sat on the table, swinging her legs to and fro. Hitsugaya sat beside her, his facial expression as stoic as ever. She forced a smile onto his face with her fingers, causing him to grumble a little as Matsumoto nudged him. Here they were, about to have a meeting with their Captain-commander, yet none of them seemed serious about it. He sighed and asked Tayomi to be more serious, as she continued to giggle like a young girl. Just then, Yamamoto's face appeared on the screen. He looked as solemn as ever, grasping his bulky wooden cane.

"Hitsugaya Taicho, Tayomi Taicho, we have received reports on Aizen's next move." He spoke. "It seems that Aizen and Ichimaru are planning to set up a new army. We have received inside information that they will be meeting three mysterious figures soon. It will be up to you to search them out, find out who they are meeting and arrest them if possible. It is of utmost importance that you find out their plans, so that Soul Society can make the necessary preparations and take the necessary precautions."

As the screen flickered, Tayomi blinked twice. It was not one, but three mysterious figures popping out of nowhere. She had never imagined people to actually catch Aizen's attention. In the first place, since he had intended to include them in his newly constructed army, probably to replace the Espada, she knew that there was only one possibility. These three were not ordinary beings. They may not even be human. For all they knew, they might be Arrancar, just like the previous Espada. She could not help but worry about this new army Aizen intended to gather. It was highly possible that he would increase the number of members in his elite army, since every single Espada had been killed by either a Shinigami or Vizard. But then again, it was also possible that Aizen was still as conceited as he was, assuming that his power was so vast, that his army did not need to have the power of ten members. Tayomi crossed her fingers, hoping that it was the latter. Hopefully, Aizen's pride and complacency would lead to his eventual downfall. Hitsugaya looked at her worried expression and patted her head. He knew what was on her mind and hoped that her worries would never become reality.

Tayomi waited for her phone to ring anxiously, dying to know the details of their task at hand. After a few seconds of waiting, she received Yamamoto's updates at last. The other Shinigami gathered around her as they read the contents of the message. Tayomi raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what the place was. Though she had been to the Living World before, she had never heard of such a place. Whatever it was, it did not sound very glamorous and sounded rather strange. She ran to her laptop and searched for the place in the search engine, as she tapped her fingers impatiently, waiting for the screen to load. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she searched for the place. Once the website had loaded, she blinked. She knew that the place was not the most classy place she had been to, but she had never expected such a setting.

"Oh my gosh." She turned to face the rest of them. "We are going to a pub."

* * *

She sat on her bed, with a blank expression on her face. Hitsumi and Shikuri ran up beside her bed, as if they wanted to be carried. Tayomi looked down and tried to smile at them, before picking the both of them up and placing them on her lap. Stroking their soft fur as they nibbled and licked her fingers with their tiny pink tongues, she continued to space out. _Pubs... The sleaziest place I could have imagined. How on earth are we going to get in? Both Susu-chan and I are practically underage... _Hitsugaya entered their room and sighed, once he spotted her strange facial expression. He sat on her bed beside her, placing Hitsumi on his lap and running his fingers through Tayomi's hair. She jumped a little, shocked to see him appear beside her so suddenly. She attempted to smile, before looking back down at Shikuri, who continued to bounce about in her lap. Tayomi slumped sideways, letting her head fall on Hitsugaya's shoulder. Hitsugaya looked down at her and kissed her forehed.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I just realised that us getting into that place is practically impossible." She sighed. "Pubs are for people aged eighteen and above. We look nothing like that, which makes overseeing this whole operation a lot harder than we expected. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know..." Hitsugaya closed his eyes. She could sense a hint of turmoil in his voice.

"You're worried about something." Tayomi snuggled against his shoulder.

"No, I'm not." He refused to admit to the fact that he felt rather vexed, afraid that it would cause her to worry and add to her frustrations.

"I'll give you five seconds to admit it." She spoke sleepily. "I know you're troubled and you're only refusing to tell me, because you don't want me to worry. Is it regarding Aizen?"

"It seems that there is no longer a point in me trying to deny anything." He sighed. "You seem to be able to read my mind all the time."

"Of course I can read your mind." She smiled. "If I can't read it, who else can? And don't worry about Aizen... I won't let him get rid of any of us that easily."

"That's not what I'm worried about..." Hitsugaya shook his head.

"If that's not it... Then... You're worried about me, aren't you?" Tayomi's voice sounded rather sad.

"How can I not worry about you?" He reached out to grab her hand. "Aizen almost took you from me once... I can't afford to let it happen again. I don't ever want to let you go again. I don't ever want to put you through danger again. I don't ever want to go through a time where you aren't by my side..."

"He won't get that chance." Tayomi reassured him.

"He won't if you just let me protect you."

"Susu-chan... Has it ever occurred to you that I can protect myself too?" Tayomi started to sound slightly annoyed. _I know he wants to protect me, but I'm not that defenceless... I don't need to protected round the clock._

"I know... But..." He protested.

Tayomi put her finger over his lips and looked up at him with puppy eyes. She sighed. He was as overprotective of her as he had been years ago. If anyone they knew thought that he was already extremely protective of Hinamori, they would never imagine how protective he was of her. He had never let go of her hand whenever they were outside. He refused to let her out of his sight and he always seemed to be around her all the time. Though she knew that it was purely out of love, she found no need to be protective to such an extreme extent. She did not want him to waste his effort protecting her, when she could protect herself. Hitsugaya stared at her straight in the eyes, with a strong resolve burning in the depths of his turquoise eyes. He knew that she was about to argue with him about the issue of 'protection'. Instead, she simply let her lips make direct contact with his, as she kissed him gently.

"Never mind." She smiled. "I know you're overprotective of me... But I know why you do that, so it's alright."

"Good." He smiled back.

Just then, she suddenly had a brainwave. Maybe there was a way for them to get into the pub after all. She knew that there was an advantage to being small in size all along. Smiling, she grinned, hoping that the girls were ready for a chance to perform.

Tayomi explained her plans to Matsumoto, Orihime and Rukia. She sighed, telling them that she was out of ideas and that it was possibly the best idea they had at hand for now. Matsumoto, Orihime and Rukia looked at each other for a moment. Matsumoto and Orihime seemed excited, by Rukia appeared to be slightly apprehensive about it. After much persuasion, Rukia finally relented. Tayomi smiled and locked the door to Matsumoto's room, before blasting the music at full volume.

* * *

The next night, Aizen was on the move. Matsumoto, Rukia and Orihime were dressed in trenchcoats and Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Ichigo, Ishida and Chad were dressed in suits, pretending to be their managers. Chad and Renji carried to wooden boxes, claiming that they were props. The security guards guarding the back door of the pub looked at each other, before letting them in. Matsumoto giggled, glad that everyone had made into the place without a hitch. Once the door was closed behind them, Renji and Chad lifted the lid of the box. Tayomi and Hitsugaya jumped out of the boxes, gasping for air. It was absolutely suffocating in the box and it was extremely cramped, but at least they had made it in. Tayomi wore her dark black jeans, a white halter neck shirt and a dark blue jacket. Hitsugaya wore his black trousers, white t-shirt and leather jacket. She smiled at him. Just then, she realised that Matsumoto, Orihime and Rukia were on in five minutes. They rushed out, as the other guys ran out to watch them perform. Tayomi and Hitsugaya remained in the dressing room, waiting for it to be over.

A few minutes later, everyone returned to the dressing room.

"Tayomi Taicho..." Renji was stunned. "Good job on the dance..."

"Thanks!" Tayomi grinned.

Matsumoto, Orihime and Rukia got dressed in their normal clothes, before they all headed out to look for Aizen. According to Rukia, she had spotted Aizen speaking to three mysterious figures near the bar. Everyone nodded, as they blended into the crowd, looking for Aizen and Ichimaru. There was a possibility that they had switched locations, in order to speak to their contacts in private. Tayomi and Hitsugaya blended into the crowd, searching for Aizen. The music was blasted at maximum volume and colourful lights were shining all over the dance floor. They bumped into Ichigo and Rukia on the way, before making their way towards Aizen and Ichimaru, who were in a deserted corner of the pub. They approached them quietly. Suddenly, Ichigo stopped in his tracks and so did Hitsugaya. They both gasped, once they saw the faces of the three mysterious figures.

"That's the Primera..." Hitsugaya gasped.

"And the Cuarto and Sexta Espada..." Ichigo blinked in shock.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY! I finally updated :D Finally had time!  
But OMG, the Espada reappeared! What does Aizen want with them? Who are they really?  
Stay tuned to find out! :D  
Hope you liked this chapter! XD Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	35. The New Espada

**CHAPTER 35: THE NEW ESPADA**

_Primera? Cuarto? Sexta? What the hell is going on?_

Tayomi stared at both Ichigo and Hitsugaya in bewilderment. She was in a state of confusion. She did not remember any of them learning Spanish before. Yet, why had they said that? It was an assumption to say that they recognised the three mysterious figures, but she had no idea how to come up with a logical reason for their shock. Their jaws were hung agape and their eyes were shot wide open, as they stared at Aizen, Ichimaru and the three mysterious people that he was talking to.

There were two men and one woman. One of the men had shoulder-length, brown hair. He had been yawning throughout the entire conversation, as his eyelids appeared to be heavy and on the verge of closing any time. He looked significantly bored, as he stared at Aizen, clearly unfocused and lacking energy. He seemed as if he had just gotten out of bed, since he was dressed in a plain t-shirt and loose-fitting trousers. The other man wore a hood over his head, so his facial features were rather hard to recognise. However, he did have black hair, which stuck out from his hood. He also had green eyes and his complexion was unusually fair. In fact, his complexion was not normal at all. It was practically white, instead of the usual beige. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt and black trousers. As for the woman, she had light blue hair and wore pale blue eyeliner. She had an evil grin on her face and the loudest, most maniacal laughter Tayomi had ever heard, as she laughed incessantly while Aizen spoke. She wore a denim mini skirt and a dark blue, sleeveless shirt which was skin tight. They looked so normal, yet so peculiar. Their appearance did not answer her question though, as she continued to wonder who they were. _Primera? Cuarto? Sexta? Seriously, what is going on?_

She gripped Hitsugaya's hand tightly, for fear that he would act on impulse and rush towards Aizen without thinking, like he usually did. Hitsugaya felt her fingers curl around his, as he watched her stare at Aizen and Ichimaru blankly.

"Susu-chan..." Tayomi muttered. "I'm confused... Who are they?"

"They're part of the Espada." Hitsugaya replied coldly. "The brown-haired one is Espada 1. I saw Captain Kyoraku fight him when we were at Fake Karakura Town."

"The one with the hood over his head... It's Ulquiorra. Espada 4. As for the woman... I don't know, but she kind of resembles Grimmjow, Espada 6. I fought them both..." Ichigo added.

"I thought you killed all of the members of the Espada?" Tayomi asked.

"We did..." Hitsugaya sighed. "That's precisely why we were shocked. They should be dead. We don't know what they're doing here and what they're doing alive."

Tayomi was confused. The Espada, for some reason, were alive. Even though it was just three of them, it was enough to alarm them. The Espada were a force to be reckoned with, as it had taken two Vizards and a Captain to bring down the top Espada, which she assumed was referred to as the 'Primera'. If they were to appear again, it would cause so much trouble. History would repeat itself. Every Shinigami in Soul Society would have every reason to panic. The Shinigami who defeated the Espada would have to perform an encore and repeat the process of finishing the Espada off all over again. And this time, they might not possess the same luck that they had when they fought the Espada. One little mistake could determine their fate and send them towards their doom. Since they had previously fought the Espada, it could also be assumed that they knew their opponents' style of fighting and attacks. The more you knew about your opponent, the easier it was to counter their attacks. The Espada would have known their attacks well enough by now, to be able to counter and avoid them. If her assumptions were true, then they would have a lot to handle. They would need to start preparing right away, as the Winter War could possibly take place again. The reappearance of the Espada would be enough to cause an emergency in Soul Society.

"In any case..." Tayomi ran her fingers through her hair. "We should report this to Yamamoto Sou-Taicho... And not make any further moves until he gives us the signal. And while he's at it, we should try and find out who those three people really are, because I don't believe that the Espada can come back to life after being killed. For now, we should probably go... I don't like this place."

Hitsugaya glanced at her, before letting go of her hand and putting his arm around her shoulder. Tayomi looked up at him, before using her hand to hold his hand, which was hanging over her shoulder. He pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead gently, hoping to calm her down. He was fully aware that she was confused, angry and uneasy all at the same time. They had to get out now. Contacting the other Shinigami via their phones, everyone headed towards the exit, towards home. At all costs, they had to get out of there safely. At all costs, he had to protect her. Squeezing her hand, they headed out of the area, walking towards home.

* * *

Once they entered the house, Tayomi and Hitsugaya went straight to the Study, followed by Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Ichigo and Rukia. Ishida, Chad and Orihime had returned home and Tayomi had promised to update them on the situation. Tayomi threw herself on the floor, landing face-first in the soft carpet. Hitsugaya stared at her blankly, but decided to ignore her for a moment. She was just being her usual, dumb self. Smiling to himself, he set up a connection to Soul Society. Tayomi closed her eyes, exhausted by the day's work and drained of energy after entering the worst place she had ever been to in Karakura Town. Just then, Captain-commander Yamamoto's face appeared on the screen, with Captain Kyoraku and Captain Ukitake. Lieutenant Sakasibe stood in the background, where he usually stood. Hitsugaya nodded at them and Ukitake smiled at him. Yamamoto nodded and asked where Tayomi was. Hitsugaya sighed and looked at the ground, where Tayomi lay, fast asleep. Yamamoto blinked, demanding that Hitsugaya wake her up.

"Tayomi..." Hitsugaya shook her gently, feeling rather strange. For the very first time, he was the one waking her up, instead of her waking him up. "Wake up..."

"Huh... But I'm sleepy..."

"In case you haven't noticed... We're on the line. Now open your eyes."

Tayomi opened her eyes slowly and sat up. She scratched her head and got up onto her feet unsteadily. Ukitake sighed in content, as he watched the girl, whom he treated as his daughter, rub her eyes sleepily. It had been so many years since they met, but Tayomi had somehow managed to retain her adorable, innocent personality. She greeted everyone, before explaining everything to Yamamoto. She began explaining from the start, where they entered the place until the part where they spotted the Espada. Yamamoto nodded and told them to stay down, until further notice. Before the connection broke, Yamamoto added that someone requested to speak to them. Tayomi smiled, as Hinamori and Hisagi appeared on the screen. She had not seen her Lieutenant for ages and missed her dearly.

"HINA-CHAN!" Tayomi cried, jumping up and down excitedly. "SHUU-KUN!"

"Yomi-chan!" Hinamori beamed. "Shiro-chan!"

"Don't call me that, you stupid bed-wetter..." Hitsugaya grumbled. "And shouldn't you be addressing her as 'Tayomi Taicho'? "

"Heh heh..." Tayomi giggled. "I'm not as uptight as you, Hitsugaya Taicho!"

Hitsugaya ruffled her hair. He never admitted it, but he did not like it when she addressed him as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'. Whenever she did that, he felt distanced from her, unrelated and invisible in her eyes. He hated that feeling. If she ever addressed him as 'Hitsugaya Taicho', it could only mean that she was angry at him or she was joking. In any case, he refused to tell anyone about it, but he really liked it when she called him by his pet name.

"Tayomi-chan! How are you?" Hisagi asked. "How are things?"

"Good! I'm sleepy, but it's alright!" Tayomi smiled. "For the both of you, I'll just try and stay awake so I can speak to both of you! And tease Hitsugaya Taicho!"

"Sometimes, I really wonder why I like you so much..." Hitsugaya muttered under his breath.

"Hm... I wonder." Tayomi raised an eyebrow and smiled at him.

* * *

Hitsugaya lay on his bed, in his room with the lights switched off, as he stared up at the white ceiling. The lamp on his bedside table was switched on, bringing a little light into the room. He closed his eyes, clearing his mind of all thoughts. Suddenly, he felt his bed move and opened his eyes slowly. He instantly saw Tayomi smiling at him and smiled back. Somehow, she had managed to enter the room unnoticed and climbed onto his bed, on top of him. He pulled her down, letting her lie beside him, with her hand resting on his chest. Tayomi could feel his heart beating, as she lay beside him on his bed, with his face right beside hers. His left arm found its way under her neck, before it rested on her shoulder. With his left hand, he reached up to run his fingers through her hair.

"You want to ask me something, don't you?" Hitsugaya asked his girlfriend, who was grinning at him.

"Yeah..." Tayomi nodded eagerly. "I just realised that you've never told me why you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Hitsugaya used his right hand to pinch her left cheek.

"I've wanted to do that for a really long time."

Tayomi giggled. "Well, you finally did it. Now answer me!"

Hitsugaya thought briefly before answering her. "You know, the first time I saw you, I was shocked that you actually talked to me. I used to think you were just weird... But after a while, I thought you were actually rather cute. Then, the feeling just came naturally. You know what I mean..."

Tayomi smiled and nodded. Hitsugaya gazed at her, waiting for her to tell him her reasons as well.

"I don't know..." Tayomi stroked his face. "I just felt that sort of attraction to you when I first saw you. I know it sounds stupid, alright. Even though you were really cold to me back in school, I managed to get you to warm up to me and that made me like you even more. I knew that there was a really sweet, kind boy inside of you."

"It sounds stupid, only because you are stupid." Hitsugaya smirked. "When you introduced yourself, I thought you were quite dumb and I wondered how you managed to even enter the Academy, let alone get into the Special Accelerated Program... You're like a really smart bimbo... I wouldn't mind having a Lieutenant like you."

"Aww..." Tayomi sighed. "You're saying that because you want to spend more time with me, don't you? And yes, I'm stupid and smart, I know!"

"I just feel as if time is always running out for both of us."

"Yeah..." Tayomi smiled. "Because we're both Captains, so we're constantly putting our lives at risk for the sake of others. But we promised each other, remember? No matter what happens, we're both going to fight to stay alive, so we can spend the rest of our lives together."

"I remember that, of course..." Hitsugaya twirled her hair around his finger. "I really want to spend every single second with you."

"Me too." Tayomi snuggled against his shoulder.

Hitsugaya lifted her chin up and kissed her on her lips. Tayomi blushed and snuggled against his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her. The two Captains fell asleep, side by side, satisfied with their life.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Yayyyy :D So kawaii! XD  
Well, we have no idea, who the New Espada are... Though I will say that the numbers have decreased (Aizen is so stuck-up!) Time to bring back our favourite Espada! ^.^  
And did you all read the latest Bleach chapter? Aizen became a butterfly! :D Since the Hougyoku materialises one's desires, was Aizen's secret desire to become a pretty female butterfly? XD  
Anyways, I hope you all liked this chapter! Stay tuned for chapter 36! Please review! Thanks! :D


	36. Our Time

**CHAPTER 36: OUR TIME**

"_Our song is the slamming screen doors, sneaking out late, tapping on your window! When we're on the phone, and we talk real slow, 'cause it's late and your mama don't know! Our song is the way you laugh, the first date 'Man I didn't kiss her and I should have'... And when I got home, before I said 'amen', I asked God if he... Could play it again!"_

Hitsugaya entered their room to see Tayomi jumping on her bed, playing the guitar and singing some song which was unfamiliar to him. He sighed and smiled to himself, as he went unnoticed by her again. Her long black hair bounced up and down as she jumped, her smile widened and her fingers ran over the strings of the guitar. She continued to sing, not noticing that Hitsugaya was sitting on his bed, staring at her. It seemed that as easy as it was to distract her from her paper work, it was never easy to drag her away from her guitar. After a few more minutes of jumping on the bed and singing, Tayomi finally stopped. She put down her guitar, before running over to give Hitsugaya a hug. He grumbled, telling her that she had failed to notice his presence again.

"I'm sorry..." Tayomi giggled, before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I was sort of distracted..."

"You're practically in love with your guitar." Hitsugaya muttered.

"Heh heh, you're jealous!" Tayomi playfully poked him in the cheek, much to his joy and annoyance. "Don't worry, I won't neglect you because of my guitar, or my work... Because I love you!"

"Yeah..." Hitsugaya poked her back and ruffled her soft hair. "I know."

"Hm..." Tayomi pouted, teasing him. "What about you? You're practically in love with paper work..."

"No, I'm not." Hitsugaya shook his head.

"You spend at least half of your day at home doing paper work and one quarter of your day sleeping." Tayomi frowned.

"Paper work can't be helped. And I want to sleep. I need to grow taller." Hitsugaya sighed.

"What about me? Where do I come in?" She began to feel hurt, as he had not mentioned anything about her being part of his day.

Tayomi's face fell. She felt disappointed. She had been hoping that he would agree to spend more time with her. Aizen and Ichimaru had not made any further moves and it was rare that she got to spend quality time with Hitsugaya, without him running off in the middle of their conversation for a meeting or to do his beloved paper work. During such a momentary time of peace, she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, before the trouble and action started again. She missed talking to him while holding his hand, without him letting go to rush off to complete his work. She missed gazing into his eyes and watching him gaze back at her, without him standing up and leaving the room to answer a phone call. Although they shared a room, she could not help but feel slightly distanced from him at times. Work distracted him all the time. Hitsugaya finally noticed her sadness, when he saw tears about to fall from her eyes. Tayomi was definitely on the verge of crying. His heart broke to see her so upset. _Though it seems really minor, I know how precious our time together means to her. That bastard Aizen and Ichimaru haven't struck yet, but it seems as if I've left her alone most of the time... Have I... Have I really been neglecting her for that past month? _

"I'll devote my remaining quarter of the day to you, alright?" Hitsugaya smiled, using his fingers to wipe away her tears and hoping to cheer her up.

Tayomi looked up at him, her eyes slightly red in colour and her cheeks in a shade of bright pink. He thought for a moment, wondering what to say. Perhaps he should just reveal his thoughts to her. It always happened that way. He never felt like hiding his feelings for her, whenever she looked at him that way.

"I'm sorry for neglecting you... Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to you." Hitsugaya held her close to him. "I'll spend the whole day with you tomorrow, to make it up to you... Do you want that, Sakuri?"

Tayomi nodded. She tried to say something, but ended up squeaking again, as she felt tears rush to her eyes. He felt extremely bad by now, seeing her in so much pain. She had managed to cope with the fact that he had neglected her for a month, despite being in so much pain. She buried her face in his chest, trying to calm down and stop herself from crying, but to no avail. Tayomi felt him wrap his arms around her tighter than ever.

"Alright, I'll spend the whole day with you tomorrow. No paper work, no phone calls... Just you and me." Hitsugaya smiled. "Don't cry now..."

Tayomi nodded. Hitsugaya took out his phone and texted the rest of the Shinigami in the house.

"_Matsumoto, Abarai, Madarame, Ayasegewa, please leave the house early tomorrow morning and come back only at night. Don't ask why. It's an order."_

"Oh man!" Matsumoto whined as she read her Captain's message. "Taicho's chasing us out of the house for the day!"

* * *

Tayomi woke up the next day and realised that Hitsugaya was already out of bed. Looking at her clock, she realised that she had woken up much later than usual. It was two hours before noon and she sighed, realising that she had forgotten to set her alarm clock again. She could hear sounds coming from the kitchen and dragged herself out of her room, still in her white singlet, black shorts and oversized shirt. Peeping into the kitchen, she saw Hitsugaya doing something at the stove. _Oh wow. Susu-chan is... HE'S COOKING FOR ME! _She walked into the kitchen and kissed him on the cheek, before running into the bathroom to wash up. She had decided not to see what he was cooking for her, allowing herself be surprised. She walked back into the kitchen to search for him, when she felt someone's arms around her waist. Tayomi smiled and giggled to herself.

"Morning." He whispered into her ear, before kissing her on the neck.

"Morning..."

He dragged her to her seat for breakfast. Tayomi sat down, trying to make sense out of what he had cooked. _What... is that? _There was a squishy yellow thing on her plate. He noticed the confused look on her face and apologised for the horrendous cooking. She looked up at him and ruffled his hair, appreciating his efforts in trying to make her happy. Ignoring the fact that it looked strange, Tayomi ate his cooking with a warm feeling in her heart. That was the first time he had ever cooked, and it was for her. Hitsugaya smiled as he watched her eat.

After that, they decided to watch a movie together. Flipping through the huge mass of DVDs that Matsumoto had previously bought, they wondered what to watch. Though it was bright and early in the morning, Hitsugaya was sure that they would never touch a horror movie, because Tayomi would freak out in broad daylight. All that was left was Matsumoto's soppy romance movies, which she had previously forced him to watch while tying him to the chair. He grumbled as he recounted the time before he finally confessed to Tayomi and Matsumoto played all the DVDs before his eyes, as he was restricted and tied to his chair, with his eyes forced open. Tayomi blinked twice, wondering what Matsumoto's taste in movies was. They were mostly romance movies, but they were all rated. There was definitely inappropriate content inside and she sighed, throwing herself onto the floor. There was not much to do. But things were not supposed to be boring when it was just the two of them around. Hitsugaya ran his fingers through her hair and kept all the DVDs, telling her to get changed and grab the keys. Tayomi got up and smiled. They were going out together, for the first time.

She ran into her room, wondering what to wear. It was autumn and the cool breeze had been blowing past ever so often. After a few minutes of thinking, throwing out her clothes and trying to match them, she finally picked something to wear. Grabbing her denim skirt, black leggings, white shirt and dark green jacket, she quickly got changed. Tayomi hurriedly pulled on her clothes, anticipating their first outing together. When she came out, she saw Hitsugaya changing behind the door of their cabinet, putting on his black, long-sleeved shirt. They stared at each other for a moment, before blushing. Looking down, Hitsugaya finished buttoning his shirt and walked over to his girlfriend, whose cheeks were bright pink by now. He held her hand and led her out of the house, locking the door behind them.

"I'm taking you out shopping." He spoke coldly.

"REALLY?" Tayomi squealed happily. "YAY! THANK YOU, SUSU-CHAN!"

He patted her head and continued walking down the street with her. _She's definitely going to burn a hole in my pocket. I'm glad I've been saving for these past few months._

* * *

Tayomi turned her head left and right, looking at the various shops located on the streets. She was completely spoilt for choice, as she smiled uncontrollably. Suddenly, she remembered that Hitsugaya did not really adore shopping. Being a guy, it was not surprising that he found shopping boring. _I shouldn't spend so much time here. Or else, Susu-chan will be so bored here._ She smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"Don't you want to buy clothes?" Hitsugaya asked her, knowing that Tayomi liked shopping for clothes.

"Huh?" Tayomi shot him a blank look.

"Matsumoto told me that you wanted to buy a dress." He replied.

Tayomi suddenly remembered. She had mentioned to Matsumoto that she intended to buy a dress soon. Matsumoto had been continuously asking her why she did not have that many dresses in her closets, determined to see her friend dress more like a girl and show her feminine side. Tayomi remembered herself sighing and telling Matsumoto that she needed to save up. Even though she claimed herself to be completely uninterested in dresses, she knew that she would not mind owning a dress or two. Somehow, Hitsugaya must have sensed that and wanted to give her something that she wanted. Smiling, she nodded her head, as they headed into a shop.

* * *

Ichigo was in his room reading a magazine, while Rukia was drawing in the closet. He sighed, as Rukia showed him her 'creative' drawings. As per usual, he told her that her drawing was hideous, causing her to smack Ichigo in the head with a sketchbook. Suddenly, he felt his ceiling vibrate and he stood up. _Is it a hollow?_

Just then, his ceiling lamp dropped to the ground and was smashed into pieces. Renji jumped out from the hole in his ceiling, where his lamp used to be. Ikkaku, Yumichika and Matsumoto followed suit, practically giving Ichigo a heart attack. It was not everyday that he saw Shinigami jumping out of nowhere. Ichigo grumbled, as his lights were broken once again, by the same people.

"What are you guys doing here?" He screamed in anger.

"Taicho chased us out..." Matsumoto twirled her hair with her finger and whined.

"Yeah. He just texted us all of a sudden last night and told us to get out of the house for the whole day." Renji shrugged and shook his head. "I wanted to ask him why, but he specifically stated that we were not to ask him."

Rukia snatched Renji's phone and read the message. She began to smile and laugh to herself. Ichigo, Renji, Yumichika, Ikkaku and Matsumoto looked at her, wondering what was so funny.

"Can't you all tell?" Rukia smirked. "It's pretty obvious why he chased you all out..."

"No..." Ichigo scratched his head. "No, it isn't!"

"IDIOT!" Rukia smacked Ichigo in the head with her sketchbook for the second time that day. "Think about it! With the four of you out of the house, who's left in the house?"

"Hitsugaya Taicho and Tayomi Taicho." Ikkaku replied.

"Oh! I see! I understand the beauty of Hitsugaya Taicho's message now!" Yumichika cried proudly, flicking his hair left and right. "It's beautiful! Absolutely heavenly!"

* * *

Tayomi preened in front of the mirror, wearing a white, strapless dress that had caught her eye. Though the dresses there were all beautiful, this dress had managed to draw her attention the most. Perhaps it was because it was simple yet pretty, or because the whiteness of the dress reminded her of Hitsugaya's snow white hair. _It looks really nice... _Just then, she heard Hitsugaya calling her. Laughing to herself, she realised that she had spent ten minutes in the changing room and left him waiting outside. She opened the door slowly and nervously, wondering how he would react. Hitsugaya gazed at her, as he felt himself smile. She looked like an angel to him, as the flowing white dress showed off her figure perfectly. The cream-coloured belt at her waist matched the white dress well, as the rest of the skirt reached down, covering the top half of her thighs. Tayomi blushed, when she realised that he was gazing at her, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Do you like it?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Yeah..." Tayomi nodded.

"Okay then, I'll buy it for you." Hitsugaya took her hand in his and smiled.

"YAY!"

Tayomi smiled to herself, clutching the bag containing her new dress in her hands. She rested her head on Hitsugaya's shoulder. All of a sudden, an idea came to her.

"Let's cook dinner together..." She grinned.

"Alright." Hitsugaya nodded.

Just then, his phone rang. He took out his phone and gasped. _Darn, it's Yamamoto. _Tayomi looked up at him with puppy eyes, wondering if he would take the call. Hitsugaya felt torn between his work and his girlfriend. He had promised her that he would not take any calls that day and end up forgetting her presence. However, the one on the line was their Captain-commander, who hardly called unless there was an emergency. Tayomi blinked, as Hitsugaya hesitated to answer the call and looked back at her. Sighing, he flipped his phone open.

"Sou-Taicho. I'll call you back later." He hung up and switched off his phone.

"I can't believe you just did that..." Tayomi gasped in shock.

"Work can wait for now. But you can't, and I can't either." He replied coldly as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. "You wanted to cook tonight? Let's go then."

Tayomi giggled to herself as Hitsugaya pulled her towards the supermarket. They looked around, randomly grabbing ingredients. _With this, we can make ramen... I think... _The supermarket was air-conditioned, making the interior extremely cold. She was glad that she had worn her jacket, protecting her from the freezing conditions. They went home together, holding the groceries in one hand and each other's hands in the other.

On the way home, they walked past a soft toy shop. Tayomi stopped and stared at the cute bunny plush toy in the window. She smiled and continued walking. This time, Hitsugaya stopped and dragged her into the soft toy shop, much to her surprise. He glanced at her, before purchasing the bunny plush toy in the window. After he had paid for it, he passed it to her, smiling. Tayomi grinned and cuddled the bunny in her arms, before going on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek. Hitsugaya smiled and dragged her home.

* * *

Laying out all of the ingredients on the table, she thought hard and smiled, knowing that they could somehow make ramen out of all of the ingredients they had bought. They got to work immediately, soaking the Shiitake mushrooms in the water and boiling it. Meanwhile, they started on the ramen, boiling it in another pot of water. Hitsugaya smiled as she suddenly walked up to him and cuddled him. Though it was a purely random gesture, he still liked it and hugged her back. She smiled and they waited for half an hour, before making hard-boiled eggs and slicing the meat, adding it to the ramen. Not before long, they were finally done. They had finished unexpectedly early, at five in the evening. Sitting in front of the television, they shared the bowl of ramen as they watched television. _We're not bad... _Tayomi smiled as her eyes were glued onto the television screen and she slurped on the strands of ramen. Suddenly, she felt her lips touch something. Turning to her left slowly, she realised that she had been slurping on the same strand of noodle as Hitsugaya. His lips were touching hers, connected by the strand of ramen. Her face turned bright pink, as he continued to slurp on the noodle and ended up kissing her on the lips on accident. She giggled, as her heart beat twice as fast.

"Heh heh..." She giggled as she felt her face burn up.

"You're so cute." Hitsugaya reached out his hand to pinch her cheek.

"We finished dinner really early, didn't we?"

"Hm..." He thought for a moment. "Do you want to go for a walk at the beach and watch the sunset?"

"Okay..." Tayomi's face continued to turn bright red.

They quickly finished up their ramen and placed the bowl in the kitchen sink. Tayomi was just about to wash the plates when Hitsugaya stopped her.

"It's okay. Let Matsumoto do it."

"Huh?" Tayomi was surprised by his sudden idea.

"She's been slacking on the paper work, so let her clean up." Hitsugaya smirked.

"_Matsumoto, clean up the kitchen when you get home. This is what you get for slacking on the paper work and hiding sake in my office."_

* * *

"TAICHO!" Matsumoto fell to her knees dramatically. "NOOOOO!"

"Wow..." Ichigo gasped. "Good one, Toushiro..."

"Hitsugaya Taicho's such a genius..." Renji smirked.

"HOW COULD HE HAVE FOUND MY SAKE?" Matsumoto cried, obviously agitated by her Captain's text message. "I HAD IT HIDDEN UNDER HIS TABLE! THE RISKIEST PLACE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAFEST PLACE!"

* * *

They walked to the beach together, letting the cool autumn breeze blow past their hair. Tayomi had to rearrange her hair and adjust her pink hairband several times, causing Hitsugaya to laugh to himself a few times. They had arrived at the beach at a perfect time, when the sun had just begun to set and the beach was empty. Tayomi linked arms with him and rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed in content, as the sky turned from a single blue into a myriad of pastel hues, surrounding the sun that was sinking into the horizon, getting ready to make way for the round, glowing white moon to rise into the sky. Hitsugaya sighed, suddenly realising how much he had missed out on. He enjoyed every single second that was spent with her and felt guilty for putting her aside because of his work. His turquoise eyes turned to look at her. Placing his hands around her cheeks, he bent down and kissed her on her lips, before running his hands through her soft black hair and down her back. Tayomi was a little shocked by his sudden gesture, but showed no signs of hating it, as she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and enjoyed the feeling of their lips making contact with each other's. Suddenly, the sky turned dark and grey. She felt raindrops fall on their faces incessantly, drenching them in rainwater. They drew back slowly, before Tayomi held his hand tight and ran home, dragging Hitsugaya behind her.

They reached home drenched and dripping wet. Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Renji and Yumichika stared at them for a moment, as Tayomi and Hitsugaya ran into their room and locked their door.

"Oh my gosh... WET WET WET!" She squeaked, dragging him into the bathroom.

She pulled off her tights and squeezed all of the water out of them into the bathtub. Hitsugaya looked down at his feet, still in a daze. Tayomi noticed that he was especially quiet and threw his towel to him, landing it on his head. She took out her jacket, squeezed it dry and threw it into the laundry basket. Just then, she realised that Hitsugaya had been completely silent the whole time.

"Susu-chan... You're going to catch a cold if you don't dry yourself..." She held his hand.

Hitsugaya remained silent. Tayomi sighed and grabbed his towel, drying his hair for him. His spiky white hair drooped downwards, as it was soaked in rain, but she had to admit that he still looked really hot. She quickly rushed out to grab another shirt from his closet and thrust it into his hands. He was still as dazed as ever and clearly unfocused. _At this rate, he's really going to catch a cold. _Blushing slightly, she unbuttoned his black shirt for him slowly, feeling slightly awkward. She took off his shirt for him, beginning to worry as he continued to space out. Looking straight into his eyes, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on his lips. His lips did not move. She drew back slowly. Forcing him out of the bathroom, she quickly changed into dry clothing. Hitsugaya blinked, as Hitsumi and Shikuri ran towards him and sniffed his feet. He bent down to stroke their fur, his facial expression still as stoic as ever.

"Susu-chan... What's wrong?" Tayomi held him close to her, looking up at him.

"Nothing." He replied, turning away from her.

"Something's wrong. You can't hide it from me." Tayomi spoke stubbornly. "Is it the paper work? Is it the phone call? Is it... Is it me? Did I..."

"No... It's not you." Hitsugaya sighed, kissing her forehead. "No... It is you..."

"I... I'm sorry." Tayomi drew back abruptly. "Maybe I should have just kept silent. Maybe it would have been better if I didn't force you to go out..."

"No, you didn't force me." Hitsugaya walked after her and took her back into his arms. "I wanted to do it of my own accord. It's just that... This made me realise how much I've missed out... It made me realise how much time I spent doing something else, instead of spending it with the person I hold closest to my heart. You shouldn't be the one apologising. I... I should be the one saying sorry."

"Susu-chan..." She sighed as she wiped the tears that fell from his eyes. "It's alright. I'm glad that we spent time together today... "

"Me too..." He tried to hold his tears back. "I'm never going to repeat my mistake. I'm never going to leave you feeling ignored again. Every single second that I have on my hands... Every single moment when I'm free... I'll spend it with you. I'll sacrifice my sleep if I have to."

"But if you don't sleep, you won't grow taller..." Tayomi poked his cheek.

"Yeah... But it's not like I've been growing very much either." He smirked.

"It's okay... You'll grow taller someday. And maybe I will too..."

She smiled, before resting her head on his shoulder and letting him stroke her hair. He kissed her on her lips, before going off to take a quick bath. Shikuri and Hitsumi ran up to her, sniffing her feet. She bent down to stroke their fur and placed them on her lap, cuddling them both.

"Yeah..." She sighed. "Your daddy is so sweet..."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**So kawaii :D This chapter was so extra fluffy and action-less. Now I know how far I can go with romance scenes XD  
Next chapter, we will get serious. (Hence the reason for this fluffy, super long chapter ^.^) Really serious. We shall enter Tayomi's inner world, just as Inazuma Kaze is enraged... Yup, we're going to face the Drowning Inazuma Kaze! :D

Ooh and I got an idea for a new FanFiction! I'll probably start on it once my exams are over :D But my focus will still always be on this FanFic :)  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review and stay tuned! Thanks! :D


	37. Into the Drowning World

**CHAPTER 37: INTO THE DROWNING WORLD**

It was raining outside. She could hear the raindrops beating on the window panes. She could see the dark grey sky glaring at her, without a hint of sunlight shining through the thick clouds and white mist. A strong breeze blew past, causing the raindrops for form a miniature whirlwind, which swept past the rooftops. The raindrops dripped down the edges of the roof continuously and her eyes followed a raindrop's descent from the sky. For some reason, the rain seemed particularly appealing to her. Taking a deep breath, Tayomi grabbed Inazuma Kaze and her grey jacket, before heading up to the rooftop.

She put on her hood and looked up at the darkened sky, watching the raindrops fall onto her face and trail down the side of her cheeks. Gripping the hilt of Inazuma Kaze, she lay down on the ground, holding her Zanpakutou in her arms. Tayomi prepared herself mentally and closed her eyes. The rain had gotten heavier, fiercer and more cruel than ever. And Inazuma Kaze was sure to act the same way.

* * *

"Inazuma Kaze..." Tayomi spoke meekly.

Turning her head left and right, she noticed the drastic change in the environment. The water level had risen significantly and had reached up to her waist. The water was still ice cold, probably below the freezing point of water. Her legs felt numb from all the freezing conditions of the water and it was hard to move. Her hands froze up and she struggled to remove her hands from the depths of the icy, dark blue liquid. The sky was no longer like the colour of her eyes. It was now as black as her hair. Black clouds shrouded the dark sky, making it look like an approaching storm in the middle of the night. The pink flower petals were no longer pink and had dried up, turning shrivelled and khaki yellow in colour. A pale blue mist surrounded the area, making it extremely hard to observe her surroundings. Tayomi's eyes begin to change colour and turn dark blue, but she tried to resist it with all her might. She could not let her negative emotions take over her. She was the master of herself. She could not let it dominate, control and steer her down a path she refused to take.

"Thunder and lightning... The ultimate expression of the anger and fear burning inside of you and striking at your heart..." Inazuma Kaze stepped out of the mist. "The wish to protect those you love. The desire to be the one saving them, instead of having them save you all the time. You watched your brother die in front of your eyes, for the sake of protecting you. Your parents died during their work, devoured by hollows. Everyone you know... They have all passed on. You are alone, in this cold, cruel world."

Inazuma Kaze's hair had turned dark blue and her eyes were storm black. She had removed her cape, wearing a black turtleneck, sleevless shirt and a black skirt. She had painted three red stripes on her right cheek as she smirked. Tayomi knew that she was changing as well. Whenever she entered her inner world in its drowning form, everything changed. She was becoming someone else, she was succumbing to her dark side. She resisted violently, as her hair turned blonde, with black highlights. _I can't step into the dark side. I won't._

"You're scared. You're scared that everyone you love will disappear from your side one day." Inazuma Kaze walked towards her slowly, smirking. "The one you fear... The one whom you would hate to lose the most is that boy, isn't it? The last thing you want to see is him, dying because of you..."

Tayomi shook her head angrily, as her blonde hair covered her face. Pushing her hair out of her face, she unsheathed her Zanpakutou and charged towards Inazuma Kaze, obviously overrun by her own emotions. Inazuma Kaze smirked, as she vanished into the mist. Tayomi jumped up and slashed at the air, disorienting the mist. She fell into the icy cold water, as the low temperatures froze the life out of her, practically suffocating her. A smiling Inazuma Kaze appeared in front of her face, forcing her deep into the depths of the icy sea. Tayomi attempted to swim up to the surface, but to no avail, under the brute force of her own Zanpakutou. Inazuma Kaze covered her master's eyes and forced her down into the water, as her master continued to struggle in her grasp. Tayomi could feel her hair sticking to her cheeks and Inazuma Kaze's palm over her eyes. She put up a violent struggle, desperately trying to push her crazed Zanpakutou's hands away from her and trying to breathe. She was suffocating. She was breathless.

She was drowning.

* * *

"Yumichika! Have you seen Tayomi-chan?" Matsumoto called out to the 5th seat of the 11th Division, who was preening in front of the mirror.

"No, I haven't..." He shook his head, not bothering to turn away from the mirror to face Matsumoto. "Why don't you ask Hitsugaya Taicho? He should know where she is..."

"But I can't do that!"

"Why not?" Ikkaku raised an eyebrow at her.

"He'll be sure to say, 'Matsumoto, why do need to find her so urgently?' or 'Matsumoto, you're coming in at the wrong time...'" She grumbled, as she tried to mimic her Captain's way of speaking.

"Yeah... And so?" Renji smirked.

"I can't tell him, 'Taicho, it's because I need her to help me with the paper work that I'm supposed to do...', can I?" Matsumoto huffed and crossed her arms.

Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika gasped in shock, staring at what- or rather WHO was behind Matsumoto. She pouted, wondering why they were so stunned. Renji's mouth was hung agape. Yumichika covered his mouth and gasped. Ikkaku simply had his eyes shot wide open.

"I heard that..." A voice grumbled behind her.

Matsumoto turned around slowly, shaking nervously. That voice was so familiar. She knew who that voice belonged to. It could only belong to one person...

"So... That's why you've been so unusually diligent, being able to complete your paper work on time for this past week..."

"Taicho... I..."

"MATSUMOTO!" Hitsugaya screamed.

"AHHH! TAICHO! NOOOOO! DON'T KILL ME!"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO PICK ON HER, DIDN'T I?"

"Taicho... But she offered to..." Matsumoto protested.

"You can always refuse. This is what you get for dumping your paper work on her." Hitsugaya threw a whole stack of paper work onto his Lieutenant. "I expect to see this on my desk, completed by tonight."

"NOOOO! TAICHO! DON'T DO THIS TO MEEEEEEEE!" Matsumoto cried as her Captain walked out of the room.

Hitsugaya stopped in his tracks for a moment. He wondered where Tayomi was. Ever since morning, she had disappeared. If she had gone out, she would have told him so. He had let her out of his sight for almost an hour now. She had not returned from wherever she was. _Where is she? _In his heart, he could feel himself panicking. Perhaps, she had gotten into trouble and needed his help? He clenched his fists, furious at himself for failing to notice that she had been gone. If she had met with a mishap, he could never ever forgive himself. After all, he swore to protect her. He swore that he would kill whoever tried to touch her. Running into his room, he reached for his phone, quickly dialling her number. He held his phone close to his ear, nervously awaiting her reply.

"_Hihi! This is Tayomi Sakuri! I'm busy right now, either with work, with my friends or my dear Susu-chan! Since you're calling, you probably have something important to say, so leave your message after the beep and I'll get back to you!"_

"Tayomi... Where are you?" Hitsugaya smacked his forehead, overwhelmed with worry. He had gotten her voicemail. "Where are you?"

* * *

Tayomi was still lying on the rooftop, deep inside her inner world. She clutched her Zanpakutou so tightly that her hands began to bleed. Turning her head left and right, she continued to struggle inside. She gasped for breath, as the raindrops continued to hit her forehead violently and the storm got stronger. Her hair had begun to gain blonde highlights. Her eyes were shut tight and she cringed, while she continued to battle in her inner world.

Her world was dark. It was pitch black. She could not see a thing, with Inazuma Kaze's palm still covering her eyes. Violently pushing her away, Tayomi hurriedly swam to the surface as quickly as she could, gasping for air. Her mouth opened wide and she gulped in a huge breath of air, her lungs desperate for some oxygen. The tide had gotten noticeably stronger, as she felt that the swim up to the surface had been exceptionally longer than usual. She felt a strong tug at her leg and she attempted to stay above the surface, resisting her Zanpakutou vehemently. Inazuma Kaze cackled, as she clutched Tayomi's leg with a forceful grip and tugging her master towards the depths of the icy waters. Tayomi screamed, as she continued her turbulent struggle against the brute strength of her Zanpakutou. Inazuma Kaze was completely insane. She had lost her mind. She had been fully taken over by her own negative emotions, which had built up inside of her over the seconds, minutes, hours and days.

_I don't have energy left in me... _

Though she attempted to keep herself above the water's surface, she eventually succumbed to Inazuma Kaze's grip, her body's energy leaving her all at once. She felt her eyelids grow heavy and close, as her hands completely relaxed. Inside, she knew that the Drowning Inazuma Kaze was smiling, smirking at her. Tayomi could feel a few air bubbles rise from her lips. No... That cannot be her last breath. She refused to let herself drown in her negative emotions and suffocate in her inner world. Tayomi tried to fight back, but her body had no energy left to struggle. The cold, freezing temperature of the water aggravated the whole situation.

_Damn it..._

* * *

"Tayomi?" Hitsugaya ran up to the rooftop in search of her. "Are you there?"

He noticed someone lying on the floor, with a grey hood over her face. Running up to that body, his heart continued to beat at the speed of lightning. Once he realised that it was Tayomi, he cradled her in his arms and held her close to him, tapping her cheeks.

"TAYOMI!"

Tayomi opened her eyes slowly, feeling the raindrops fall onto her face. Her blurred vision became clear again, as Hitsugaya's face appeared in front of her. A mixture of water and blood poured out from her mouth and she coughed, causing a whole flood of blood and water to spill onto the floor. She loosened her grip on Inazuma Kaze, not having the energy to move at all.

"What the hell were you doing?" He asked her agitatedly.

Tayomi tried to speak, but words failed to come out from her mouth. That trip to her inner world really did it for her. She nearly died in there. She barely made it out alive. She was completely exhausted and having anything but strength to move.

"Don't say anything." Hitsugaya covered her mouth. "I think I know what you were doing. Don't you ever do that again."

Tayomi attempted to speak and defend herself.

"I SAID DON'T SAY ANYTHING!" Hitsugaya screamed at her.

Tayomi looked at him, completely stunned. She would have blinked at his shocking response, but did not have the energy to do so. Her eyes simply continued to stay open, with her eyelids starting to get heavy. _I'm safe. _She closed her eyes, completely worn out from the struggle.

"Don't do that again..." Hitsugaya sighed, before gently kissing her on her unmoving lips, which were slightly stained with her blood.

With her still in his arms, he stood up and carried her back into the house, away from the storm.

* * *

"TAICHO! WHAT HAPPENED?" Matsumoto exclaimed once she spotted her Captain carrying a wet, bleeding Tayomi back into the house.

"Help me get her changed into something dry. I don't want her to catch a cold..." He replied coldly.

"Ooh... Taicho..." Matsumoto grinned cheekily. "Why don't you do it for her?"

"JUST DO IT!" Hitsugaya snapped at his Lieutenant, before thrusting Tayomi into Matsumoto's arms. Matsumoto's face turned serious and she nodded. Hitsugaya sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. _Tayomi... You'd better be alright..._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well, that was a look into Tayomi's inner world when it's taken over by the Drowning Inazuma Kaze :D Fierce, crazy stuff...  
Next chapter, Hitsugaya and Tayomi will meet one of the new Espada and run into Ichimaru... As expected, they'll engage in a full out battle with Ichimaru. Ichimaru goes Bankai on them, with disastrous consequences D:  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! XD Please review and stay tuned for Chapter 38! Thanks! ^.^ (Oh man, exams are drawing closer and closer... AND SO IS FREEDOM :D )


	38. We're Bleeding,Falling Together

**CHAPTER 38: WE'RE BLEEDING,FALLING TOGETHER**

Tayomi twirled her hair around her finger, sighing as she looked at the blonde strands of hair. It had been a week already, yet the blonde highlights had not disappeared. She wondered if her hair was going to stay that way forever and she hoped it would not. The highlights in her hair portrayed her as a rebel, when she was nothing like that. She been furiously washing her hair for days, yet the blonde highlights refused to fade away. But she had to admit, it was a rather tiny price to pay for being able to escape from her drowning inner world alive. Thankfully, Hitsugaya had found her in time and managed to wake her up, pulling her out from her inner world. If he had not done that, she would be lying down, completely motionless, dead.

Hitsugaya glanced at her, still slightly furious over the fact that she had gone to confront her Drowning Zanpakutou without telling him. It seemed that she loved putting herself in danger. She never failed to make him worry, although she continued to insist that he was panicking for nothing. He sighed and smacked her in the head hard, interrupting her thoughts abruptly. Tayomi glared at him, saying nothing as she rubbed her head.

"Stop touching your hair and touch your food." He ordered.

"Hmph." Tayomi huffed, poking at her food.

Ichigo raised his eyebrow, turning to look at Rukia. She shrugged and stared at Renji, who shook his head. The tension in the room had been absurdly high ever since Tayomi almost got murdered by her own Zanpakutou in her inner world. Hitsugaya had grown even more protective of her, which seemed to annoy Tayomi. Matsumoto sighed. Ever since that incident, Hitsugaya had refused to let Tayomi out of his sight. Even though Tayomi enjoyed the attention at first, she eventually felt as if he was stalking her, not loving her. Doing mental calculations in her brain, Matsumoto counted, arriving at the conclusion that ever since that incident, her Captain and Tayomi had argued at least twice a day. Tayomi continued to poke at her food, obviously having no appetite. She did not enjoy the cold war that she and Hitsugaya were going through, but she did not enjoy him practically stalking her. He followed her everywhere she went. Whenever she went out without telling him, he would end up barking at her. He never fell asleep before her, because he was too busy waiting for her to fall asleep first. He stood outside the bathroom whenever she went in it. Somehow, wherever she went, Hitsugaya would be following behind her, practically becoming her shadow.

After poking at her food five more times, she knew that she really could not swallow anything. Standing up, she stormed back into her room, slamming the door behind her. For some particular reason, she felt extremely mad right now. Hitsugaya had not shown much concern for her, unless scolding and screaming at her was considered being caring. She threw herself on her bed and buried herself under the covers, hugging the various bunny toys that she had. She stared at those which were gifts from Hitsugaya and pouted, looking away and pulling the covers over her head tightly. Hitsugaya grumbled and shouted after her, storming into the room. Ichigo, Rukia, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji stared at each other blinking. A storm was definitely in sight and it was definitely anything but light or short.

"TAYOMI!" Hitsugaya shouted at her, tugging at the covers. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tayomi forced the covers to stay over her head and cover her body, pulling on it violently. "GO AWAY!"

"GET OUT FROM THERE NOW!"

"NO!" She screamed back.

She heard Hitsugaya slam his fist down onto the table, producing a loud bang.

"Fine." He huffed. "Have it your way then."

Tayomi heard him storm out of the room and waited until she was sure that he was gone, before breaking down into tears. Why couldn't everything be so much simpler for them?

"Eh... Sakuri-san? We received a report from Soul Society... Ichimaru and an unidentified being's spiritual pressure is somewhere around this area..." She heard Ichigo speak.

Throwing her covers off, she transformed out of her Gigai and into her Shinigami form. She walked into the living room, where the other Shinigami were. They were all out of their Gigai and in their Shinigami forms.

"So, you finally decided to come out, huh?" Hitsugaya muttered under his breath.

Tayomi did not say anything. She looked at the window and jumped out, heading towards the spiritual pressure. Hitsugaya shook his head and followed behind her, along with the other Shinigami.

* * *

Standing on top of a building, she spotted Ichimaru and another Arrancar down below. The Arrancar was likely to be one of the three whom were spotted at the bar. He was almost as tall as Ichimaru and had shoulder-length black hair, which was uncombed and messy. He had pale white skin and dark green eyes, with black tear marks streaming down his face. He appeared to be completely devoid of emotion. His hollow mask was located on the top right corner of his face, covering half of his forehead, right above his eyelid. He possessed a horrifying amount of spiritual pressure, leading Tayomi to conclude that he was part of Aizen's new elite army, somewhat like the Espada. _I wonder which Espada that is?_ Tayomi shook her head and jumped down, with the other Shinigami behind her. Ichimaru grinned widely, while the Arrancar beside him looked completely unaffected by their presence, merely glancing at them. Ichimaru laughed, as four Arrancars hopped down to join Ichimaru. Tayomi knew that they were not part of the Espada and were likely to be Fraccion, since the Arrancars possessed an amount of spiritual energy which was much lower than the Espada. Hitsugaya immediately recognised a few of them, as he, Renji and Matsumoto had previously fought them before. _Shawlong Kufang. Yylfordt Granz. Nakeem Greendina. Sun-sun._ The four Arrancar glanced at their opponents, before smirking.

"YOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A high-pitched voice suddenly echoed throughout the vicinity. Yumichika cringed. That voice was horribly familiar. Slowly, he turned around and choked, immediately shutting his eyes tight. A tall Arrancar appeared behind him, smiling and yodelling like a cowgirl. The Arrancar was clearly a male, yet he had bright pink hair with violet highlights and long, curly and glittery eyelashes. He wore a skin-tight white top and shorts, and the remains of his Hollow mask was heart-shaped, fixed on the side of his face. It seemed that the Arrancar had taken effort to decorate his hollow mask as well, covering it in colourful glitter and sparkles. It was evident that everyone was resisting the urge to laugh, except for Hitsugaya, who remained as serious as ever. The other four hollows shook their head, while Ichimaru simply scratched his head and the Espada simply stared.

"THE WONDERFUL AMAZING AWESOME BEAUTIFUL CUTE ADORABLE GLAMOROUS FUNKY SWEET MIRACULOUS SPELL-BINDING ENCHANTING ENTHRALLING VALLENCIE CUUHLHOURNE HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING!"

Tayomi blinked twice. Just then, the Fraccion suddenly got serious and charged at Yumichika, Renji, Ikkaku, Matsumoto, Rukia and Ichigo. Quickly unsheathing their Zanpakutou, they began their fight with the Fraccion, leaving Hitsugaya and Tayomi to face Ichimaru and the New Espada. The tension in the air heightened, as Hitsugaya and Tayomi refused to speak or look at each other. Ichimaru seemed to notice it and smirked.

* * *

"Ah, Tayomi-chan, why aren't ya an' Hitsugaya-kun speakin'?" He grinned.

Tayomi looked away and placed her hand of the hilt of her Zanpakutou, preparing to strike. Hitsugaya did the same as well. Ichimaru shrugged and shook his head.

"Ya are kinda unfair, don't ya think? Gangin' up on me like that? My friend is only here ta observe... He ain't fightin' y'all yet so it's me against ya two..." Ichimaru pretended to protest strongly.

Suddenly, Tayomi felt something stab through her stomach. She looked down, her eyes growing wider. A white hand was sticking out and it was pulled out of her stomach, as blood poured from her wounds. _No... It can't be... _Ichimaru smiled and the Espada returned to his side, still devoid of emotion. Tayomi watched her blood spill all over the ground, as her knees felt as if it had liquefied and she fell to the floor. She heard Hitsugaya scream and saw him rush to her side, as he picked her up and held her close to him.

"Put... Me... Down..." She mustered up all of her remaining strength. "Go... Get... That... Smiling... Idiot..."

Hitsugaya seemed reluctant to let her go, but finally relented. He put her down gently and dashed towards Ichimaru, with his Zanpakutou raised above his head. Tayomi blinked, before attempting to get up. Her wound continued to bleed profusely as she forced herself up on her feet, stumbling as she rose. The pain was practically unbearable, but she knew that she had to get up. As a Captain of the Gotei 13, it was not her job to fall, but to stand up and keep fighting no matter what happened. She had to live up to her responsibilities. With that in mind, she struggled with all her might to get up, but failed to. The Espada watched her for a moment, before turning his head to watch the battle between Hitsugaya and Ichimaru unfold.

"I thought I told you before..." Hitsugaya screamed, absolutely burning with fury. "If you touch Tayomi, I WILL KILL YOU!"

"But I didn't touch her, Hitsugaya-kun!" Ichimaru continued to defend himself from Hitsugaya's attacks, as their Zanpakutous clashed and produced deafening noises.

"I WILL KILL YOU. BANKAI!"

A pair of ice wings began to sprout from Hitsugaya's back and he grew an ice tail, as his hands were encased in ice. The four-pointed star transformed into an eight-pointed star and Hitsugaya pointed his blade at Ichimaru, before charging towards him.

"Bankai."

Ichimaru decided to release his Bankai as well and grinned. Completely unaffected by the fact that Ichimaru had released his Bankai, Hitsugaya dashed towards him, fully blinded by his anger. He wanted to kill Ichimaru. He wanted to kill Aizen. Whoever touched her deserved to die. Hitsugaya attempted to slash Ichimaru a few times, but to no avail. Ichimaru's smile was still all over his face, as he avoided each attack neatly, before striking out at Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya hopped backwards, narrowly missing Ichimaru's blade. Hitsugaya leapt upwards, ready to slash Ichimaru with all his strength. Ichimaru grinned.

"I see an opening!"

Hitsugaya watched in horror as Ichimaru placed Kamishini no Yari on his chest, gripping it tightly with both hands.

"It's either you or her now..."

Hitsugaya instantly knew that Ichimaru was going to stab her, just like he tried to stab Hinamori previously, before he defected from Soul Society. Hitsugaya ran forward to take the blow for her without hesitation, as Ichimaru aimed for Tayomi's head. The sound of a blade slicing through soft flesh and blood echoed throughout the vicinity. Ichigo, Rukia, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Renji and Yumichika were distracted for a moment and turned to look at what had happened on Hitsugaya and Tayomi's side.

Hitsugaya felt the blade stab through his flesh, square in his chest. However, he felt someone's arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly. He looked down and his heart stopped for a moment.

_Sakuri._

"Tayomi... You idiot..." He muttered.

Ichimaru retracted his blade and Hitsugaya and Tayomi fell to the ground. She could hear screams and gasps of horror all around her. She crashed onto the ground, beside Hitsugaya.

"Why... did... you... do... that?" Hitsugaya gasped for breath as he spoke.

"For... obvious reasons..." Tayomi replied, short of oxygen. "You've been... protecting... me... all this while... I have to... protect you... too..."

"Idiot..."

Ichimaru grinned, as he looked down at the blade of his Zanpakutou. A tiny sliver of his blade was missing from the blade, as if it had chipped off.

"Release and kill, Kamishini no Yari."

* * *

**Author's note:  
**The proof-reading part of this chapter was sort of rushed, so there might be typos T.T Sorry...  
But OMG it's a cliffhanger! Who's going to get the poison? Will it be Tayomi or Hitsugaya? Or both? .  
Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter :)  
I hope you liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^  
This FanFic reached 51 reviews! Thank you thank you everyone for your support! :D ARIGATO GOZAIMASU! :D


	39. Why?

**CHAPTER 39: WHY?**

Tayomi and Hitsugaya lay on the ground motionless with their eyes in each other's direction, as their blood continued to pour all over the ground. Inside, Tayomi began to panic. Ichimaru had just released a deadly poison into either one of their bodies. It was a fifty-fifty chance for them both. It was in either her body, or his body. Though she felt like screaming due to the unbearable pain that overwhelmed and suffocated her, she was fully aware that he was going through the same thing as well. In her heart, she secretly hoped that the poison was released in her. She did not want it to be in him. She would rather lose her own life, than watch him lose his.

"Susu-chan... No..." She wept and shook her head slowly.

She watched as Hitsugaya lay beside her, his lifeless eyes frozen as blood dripped from the side of his mouth. With every ounce of energy in her body, she reached out to touch his face. It felt cold, freezing, just like how life had seemed to escape from his body and left his soul empty. Blood continued to make tiny blots on the ground. Tayomi could feel tears coming to her eyes almost immediately. The last thing she wanted was to lose him. She had tried to protect him from Ichimaru's blade, yet he was still the one suffering, having his blood gush out from his wounds. He was still unmoving. Tayomi could hear Ichimaru smirk and the shuffling of feet. _They're probably leaving, about to happily report to that idiot Aizen with 'good news'. _She heard more shuffling of feet and saw the other Shinigami looking at her. Her tears continued rolling down her cheeks, as Hitsugaya continued to bleed incessantly. Struggling, she tried to force herself to sit up, despite the fact that the other Shinigami were screaming at her, telling her not to move. Her blood had formed a huge pool on the ground and her wounds were practically killing her, but Tayomi forced herself up. Her tears fell onto Hitsugaya's face and trailed down his cheeks.

"I... have to...heal him..." She muttered, gasping for breath.

"Are you crazy? You're barely alive!" Renji shouted.

"We're contacting Unohana Taicho... Tayomi-chan, don't push yourself! Let Unohana Taicho do it..." Matsumoto pleaded with her stubborn friend.

"He... can't wait... that long... I have... to... save him..." She felt her blood pour. "Don't... stop me..."

She sat up, bearing with the pain of her injuries. Her hands began to glow and while supporting the weight of her limping body with her right hand, she used her left hand to pull open Hitsugaya's shirt, revealing the wound on his chest. She lifted up her skirt slightly, pulling out a dagger from a black band tied around her left thigh. Carefully and gingerly, she used the dagger to pry open the wound slightly. A light green aura glowed around his wound as she dropped the dagger on the floor and placed her left hand above his wound, where the sliver of Ichimaru's Zanpakutou had entered his body. With all the remaining energy left in her body, she clenched her fist and muttered a few words, likely to be a high level healing spell. Royal purple blood poured out of Hitsugaya's wound, until the little sliver of Ichimaru's blade exited his wound, lying among the pool of purple blood. It had disintegrated, with only half of the tiny piece of blade left. The other half was likely to have broken up in Hitsugaya's body and entered his bloodstream.

"Darn..." Tayomi sighed. "Half of... the poison... entered his bloodstream..."

Tayomi collapsed onto Hitsugaya's body, no longer having any strength to move. _I really pushed it this time... I wish I could have pushed it a little longer..._ She saw her vision blur and turn foggy, as the images of her surroundings began to fade into black. Closing her eyes, she prayed that it would not be the end for them.

* * *

Tayomi woke up in the 4th Division's barracks. She rubbed her eyes and saw her friends forming a circle around her. Hisagi, Hinamori, Kira, Ukitake... They were all there, with a concerned look on their faces. Hinamori smiled at her Captain and held her hand, nodding at her. Hisagi patted her head and Ukitake simply heaved a sigh of relief, glad to see that she was alive. Kira smiled a little. Tayomi's eyes shot open, suddenly remembering something. She tried to get up, but cringed as the pain of her injuries acted up. Falling back down onto the bed, she took a deep breath, before attempting to get up slowly. Hisagi helped her up, appearing to know exactly what and who she was thinking of. His face fell, looking at his childhood friend so pained and frustrated. He had been worrying about her once he heard about her injuries. Observing the fear in her eyes, he knew that in her heart, in her mind, there was only one person. He helped her out and led her to Hitsugaya's room. The walk to his room was long and absolutely nerve-wrecking for Tayomi. Hisagi patted her head again, hoping she would calm down. Pushing open the door for her, Tayomi stared at Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika surrounded Hitsugaya. Hinamori followed them as well, knowing that her Captain would need all the emotional support she needed.

Once Tayomi saw Hitsugaya lying to the bed, unmoving, she could feel tears coming to her eyes. Slowly, she walked towards him, trying to hold back her tears. He was still unconscious. Taking his hands into hers, she gazed at him. The other Shinigami nodded at each other and decided to leave the room. Hisagi looked at his childhood friend reluctantly and patted her shoulder, before leaving the room.

"Susu-chan..." Tayomi could feel her tears drip down her cheeks.

Hitsugaya slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her, trying to tell her that he was fine.

"You idiot... You didn't have to take that stab for me..." She shook her head sadly.

"Yes I did." He tried to smile. "I swore I would protect you... I'd kill whoever touched you. One day, I'll kill Ichimaru... I'll kill Aizen..."

"Don't talk about that now." She put her finger over his lips. "Just rest now, alright?"

"But... I failed to protect you." He muttered.

"No..." Tayomi wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry for being angry at you... I know you just wanted to care for me, but I felt like you were stalking me..."

"I stalk you, because I love you." Hitsugaya sighed, using his hand to pull her closer towards him and kissing her on the lips.

Just then, Ukitake entered the room, informing Tayomi that Captain-commander Yamamoto wanted to see her. Tayomi nodded and poked Hitsugaya's cheek, before leaving his room.

* * *

"Tayomi Taicho, you will be returning to the Living World in a few days time, after your injuries are healed." Yamamoto spoke sternly.

"Yes, Sou-taicho." Tayomi replied. "What about Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"He'll be undergoing treatment in the 4th Division's barracks to completely purge Ichimaru's poison out of his system. Once he has fully recovered, he will rejoin you in the Living World. Do you have any more questions?"

Tayomi shook her head.

"Then you may go."

Tayomi bowed and turned to leave. In a few days time, she would be returning to the Living World to join Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Renji and Yumichika. Without Hitsugaya coming along with her. She sighed. For the time being, everything would be on her shoulders. Her team of Shinigami would be relying on her. She had to lead them, fend for them and cope with all that took place in Hitsugaya's absence. She knew she would miss him, because being separated from him was equivalent to torturing her.

* * *

Tayomi entered her room and stared into space for a moment, before her gaze lowered to the empty bed where Hitsugaya usually lay in. She sighed, grabbing the bunny that he had given to her and lay on his bed. He had left his black shirt on his bed, the black shirt which he usually wore to sleep. She held it close to her face and stuffed her face in it, as the scent of him wafted into her nose. Now, she missed him more than ever. She could not wait for him to rejoin them and continue their battle against Aizen. It was night time and she felt completely exhausted. Reluctantly, she got off his bed and placed his shirt and her bunny on her bed, dragging her feet to the bathroom to wash up.

She splashed her face with water and took a deep breath. For now, she would be on her own. And she would manage it well. Clenching her fists in pure resolve, Tayomi grew even more determined to carry out her duties and responsibilities well, for Soul Society and his sake. Aizen would never get the chance to create trouble. He would never dare to hurt anyone ever again.

Throwing herself on her bed, she hid under the covers of her blanket and hugged his shirt to sleep. The room felt so empty, so lifeless, without him to talk to her till she fell asleep. Just then, her phone began to ring. Tayomi yawned and picked up her phone.

"Why aren't you in bed yet?" A familiar voice spoke coldly.

Tayomi began to smile. That familiar voice... She knew it. She loved it. She was sure it was him.

"SUSU-CHAN!" She screamed into the phone excitedly.

"That was loud."

"Sorry..." Tayomi felt herself blush. "Are you okay? How's your injuries?"

"I'm fine."

"Eh... But..." She let out a yawn. "The poison..."

"You're obviously sleepy."

"I can't sleep."

"Why not?"

"Because you aren't here."

Hitsugaya sighed. That was just like her to say that. Even if she was tired, having her go to sleep always proved to be a difficult task. She had way too many thoughts in her head, keeping her up and awake. For a young girl, she had lots of things to worry about. Though she acted so carefree and cheerful all the time, Hitsugaya knew that beyond her bright smile, she hid many sercrets and troubles inside of her.

"What can I do, then?" He tried to sound slightly happier.

"Heh heh, you can quickly recover and rejoin us all back in the Human World."

"Alright. I will. Now, as for you, you should be sleeping."

"Okay. Goodnight Susu-chan!" Tayomi smiled.

"Goodnight, Sakuri." He thought for a moment before deciding what to say. "I... I love you."

"I love you too." Tayomi replied, before she hung up reluctantly. For him, she would definitely stay strong.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Hitsugaya will be alright. Tayomi will be alright. They'll both be alright :D  
Ahaha next chapter, we're gonna kill the seriousness because Chapter 40 is another Omake chapter! It's time for the Shinigami to explore the wonders that the internet has to offer XD Hitsugaya will kill Matsumoto once he sees the video of him and Tayomi on SoulTube (Remember in Chapter 29?) :P  
Stay tuned for the next chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter... Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	40. Online Wonders

**CHAPTER 40: ONLINE WONDERS**

Tayomi walked into the study room and sat down at her desk, exhausted. She was finally done with all the paper work and it was finally time to relax. Switching on her laptop, she tapped her fingers impatiently, waiting for her laptop to start. Her screen lighted up and she smiled, as she looked at her wallpaper. It was a picture of her and Hitsugaya smiling at the camera, in the Karakura Town High School Uniform. Running her fingers through her hair, she signed into Soul Society's chatroom, which had just been set up to allow Shinigami to connect with each other conveniently.

_

* * *

_

OrangeStrawberryhas just signed in.  
_Chappy13Fanatic _has just signed in.  
_Pineapple6 _has just signed in.  
_9DivShuu-kun _has just signed in.  
_10SakeSakeWOOOOO _has just signed in.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Out of like the five of you, the only one I recognise is Shuu-kun. Please do me a favour and introduce yourselves...

_BlindingBaldy11 _has just signed in.  
_BeautyBeyondBelief11 _has just signed in.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Hm... Make that three out of the eight of you. Hi Yumi-kun! And obviously, there's only one person who could have a username like 'BlindingBaldy11'...

**BlindingBaldy11: **Your devious friend hacked my account and now I can't change it back...

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Tayomi-chan! How can you not recognise me?

**OrangeStrawberry: **Ikkaku! Your account got hacked too?

**BlindingBaldy11: **OBVIOUSLY.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Oh! I know who you are now! Ichi-kun, Ruki-chan, Renji-kun and Rangiku-chan! OHHH HI!

**Chappy13Fanatic: **...

**Pineapple6: **I think my account was hacked too. I don't remember having a username related to a fruit...

**OrangeStrawberry: **But it suits you really well...PINEAPPLE.

**Pineapple6: **SHUT UP, YOU STRAWBERRY!

_KuchikiByakuya6 _has just signed in.

**OrangeStrawberry: **BYAKUYA? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

**KuchikiByakuya6: **Frankly, I do not know myself.

**Chappy13Fanatic: **Nii-sama! What are you doing here?

**OrangeStrawberry: **Wow... Byakuya really has no creativity at all...

**Chappy13Fanatic: **ICHIGO! How could you call Nii-sama that? Have you not seen his creativity?

**OrangeStrawberry: **It's because of his 'creativity' that his candy didn't sell.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Ichi-kun... I cannot imagine how Kuchiki Taichou is going to murder you...

**9DivShuu-kun: **Hey... Matsumoto-san's SoulTube video reached over a million views!

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Really? AWESOME!

**Tayomi-chan5: **What video?

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Uh... You don't want to know...

_HitsugayaTaicho10 _has just signed in.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **OOH TAICHO'S HERE! OOOOOOOH!

_Juushiro13 _has just signed in.  
_MeowPurrYoruichi _has just signed in.  
_LongLiveYoruichi-sama2 _has just signed in.  
_HandsomeShopkeeper _has just signed in.  
_FancyPencil _has just signed in.  
_ShunShunRikka _has just signed in.  
_KILLLLLLLLLL11 _has just signed in.  
_OkashiOkashi11 _has just signed in.  
_SadIzuru3 _has just signed in.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOO: **AND EVERYONE'S JOINING THE PARTY!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **It doesn't matter. Because all of you are getting out anyway.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **WHY? WHY TAICHO WHY?

**Juushiro13: **Well... The reasons are quite obvious, aren't they? Everyone, let's go to another chat room for now...

-ALMOST EVERYONE LEAVES THIS CHATROOM EXCEPT FOR MATSUMOTO-  
**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Matsumoto. What are you still doing here? OUT. NOW.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **But...

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **OUT.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Fine!

-MATSUMOTO FINALLY LEAVES THE CHATROOM-

~*~ In another chatroom~*  
**  
10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT!

**Pineapple6: **Actually, we can just walk over to the study and peek.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **THEN LET'S GO!

**9DivShuu-kun: **No... Let them have their privacy.

**OkashiOkashi11: **Byakushi! Your name is so boring! You should change it to 'ByakushiBya-kun6'!

**ByakushiBya-kun6: **What a disgraceful, childish name. I will not.

**BlindingBaldy11: **Kuchiki Taicho... It's too late. She has struck!

**ByakushiBya-kun6: **How foul. My pride is completely wiped out.

**FancyPencil: **Don't worry. You aren't alone.

**MeowPurrYoruichi: **This is so entertaining!

**LongLiveYoruichi-sama2: **YORUICHI-SAMA!

**HandsomeShopkeeper: **It really is...

**ShunShunRikka: **I wonder what Tayomi-chan and Hitsugaya-kun are talking about...

**SadIzuru3: **She probably has a lot to say to him...

**BeautyBeyondBelief11: **I believe it will be absolutely breathtaking!

**KILLLLLLLLLL11: **KILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

~*~In the other chatroom...~*~

**Tayomi-chan5: **...

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Hey.

**Tayomi-chan5: **...

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Someone's really silent for once.

**Tayomi-chan5: **...

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Look, if you have nothing to say to me, I'm going off.

**Tayomi-chan5: ***tugs on your arm*

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **...What.

**Tayomi-chan5: **I MISS YOU.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Me too.

**Tayomi-chan5: **I WANT TO HUG YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Same here.

**Tayomi-chan5: **You're speaking so little.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Sorry... I haven't exactly gotten used to using the computer yet. Sakuri...

**Tayomi-chan5: **Yup?

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **I love you.

**Tayomi-chan5: **...

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **I really do.

**Tayomi-chan5: **I'm going to cry.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Why? Did something happen? Did Aizen do something to you while I was gone? I'LL KILL HIM!

**Tayomi-chan5: **No... It's just that... I'M SO TOUCHED!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **...

**Tayomi-chan5: **I don't care why you randomly said that! I love you too!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **I miss you a lot.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Hitsumi and Shikuri miss you too... Heh heh. I miss you the most! Can you come back soon?

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **I will.

**Tayomi-chan5: **By the way, just now Rangiku-chan's video reached over a million views!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **What is it about?

**Tayomi-chan5: **I don't know... I haven't seen it yet. Shuu-kun sent me the link. I'll forward it to you.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Okay. I'll go watch it.

~#~ Five minutes later ~#~

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **MATSUMOTOOOOOOO!

~*~ In the chatroom where everyone is...~*~

**Tayomi-chan5: **We're back!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **MATSUMOTO. WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Huh?

**Tayomi-chan5: **Um... Susu-chan saw the whole 'TaichoXTaicho' playlist.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **WHY IS THERE A VIDEO OF ME AN TAYOMI ON SOULTUBE?

_On SoulTube:  
__**TaichoXTaicho **_**playlist-  
**Tayomi and Hitsugaya-Sleeping on the couch  
Tayomi and Hitsugaya-Sleeping on the floor  
Tayomi and Hitsugaya-Sleeping in the same chair  
Tayomi and Hitsugaya-Taicho plays with her hair!  
Tayomi and Hitsugaya-Truth or Dare  
_etc._

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **MATSUMOTO. IF YOU HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO POST VIDEOS, WHY CAN'T YOU FINISH YOUR PAPER WORK?

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Taicho...

_SleepyEspada1 _has just signed in.  
_WorldisTrash4_ has just signed in.  
_SpoonOverForks5 _has just signed in.  
_Pantera6 _has just signed in.

**Tayomi-chan5: **What are the Espada doing here? I thought they were dead?

**WorldisTrash4: **We were momentarily revived to join this trashy conversation, woman.

**Tayomi-chan5: **I SEE.

**SleepyEspada1: **I'm so sleepy...

**SpoonOverForks5: **ANYONE UP FOR A FIGHT?

**KILLLLLLLLLL11: **ALRIGHT! LET'S GO!

_KILLLLLLLLLLL11 _has just signed out.  
_SpoonOverForks5_ has just signed out.

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **I expect the paper work to be done promptly. Tayomi, keep an eye on her. And DON'T do the paper work for her.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Yes dear...

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

**9DivShuu-kun: **Haha.

**SadIzuru3: **There's tension in the air...

**Tayomi-chan5: **No there isn't... I'm bored. Let's do something.

**OrangeStrawberry: **Like?

**Tayomi-chan5: **Say for example, let's all have fun making fun of Ichi-kun!

**OkashiOkashi11: **YAY! LET'S TEASE ICHII!

**OrangeStrawberry: **WHAT?

**ByakushiBya-kun6: **This might prove to be interesting.

**OrangeStrawberry: **BYAKUYA!

**ByakushiBya-kun6: **That's what you get for showing me anything but respect and calling me by my first name.

**Chappy13Fanatic: **Yes! That's what you get for insulting Nii-sama and my beautiful drawings!

**Pineapple6: **Making fun of Ichigo! That's something I do everyday...

**OrangeStrawberry: **Everyone's ganging up on me!

**HitsugayaTaicho10: **Kurosaki... See what happens when you don't address me as 'Hitsugaya Taicho'?

_SmileyGin _has just signed in.

**SmileyGin: **Hiya everyone!

**Tayomi-chan5: **Everyone is hacking into our network, isn't it?

**SmileyGin: **Ran-chan...

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **...What?

**SmileyGin: **I'm sorry.

**Tayomi-chan5: **Everyone, out of the chatroom now... Oh and the SpiritBook is up and working again, so let's go there! The bug has been fixed, but you all have to update your profile all over again... So yup, let's go!

-EVERYONE GETS OUT-

**SmileyGin: **I'll explain everything later.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **What's there to explain? You betrayed Soul Society...

**SmileyGin: **There's everything to explain to you. I just hope I'll be able to do it someday.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **You had better.

**SmileyGin: **And I will. I promise ya that. Just hang in there a lil' longer... I really will explain it all to you.

**10SakeSakeWOOOOOO: **Alright, Gin.

**SmileyGin: **Yay.

* * *

Over in the world of SPIRITBOOK...

**Tayomi Sakuri -Hitsugaya Toushiro  
**Susu-chan! Get well soon! Come back soon! Everyone back home is waiting for you... I'm waiting for you.  
Comments:  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **Aww! How sweet!  
**Hisagi Shuuhei: **Sigh...  
**Ukitake Juushirou: **Ah... Young love!  
**Kyoraku Shunsui: **I think even Yama-jii would find this touching!  
**Hinamori Momo: **Tayomi-chan! You're so sweet...

**Hitsugaya Toushiro -Tayomi Sakuri:  
**Sakuri, I will come back as soon as possible for you.  
Comments:  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **YAY!  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I will.  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **Aww Taicho! What about the rest of us? What about me? Surely you miss your fantastic Lieutenant as well!  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Firstly, since when were you a fantastic Lieutenant? Slacking around the office all day and not touching your paper work. Secondly, you spoiled the whole atmosphere.  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **TAICHO!

**Ukitake Juushiro: **Ahh... Young love!  
_15 people like this status._

**Aizen Sousuke **has changed his relationship status to 'It's complicated' with **Tayomi Sakuri.  
**Comments:  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **No one's attached to you. Remove it NOW.  
**Aizen Sousuke: **Oh Tayomi-chan... How adorable can you be?  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I'm coming to kill you Aizen.

**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I'M COMING TO KILL YOU AIZEN!  
Comments:  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **Don't forget to bring me along with you...  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I'll think about it.  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **Bring meeeee. Eh... I realised that we haven't exactly changed our relationship status.  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Oh. Let's go change it then.

**Hitsugaya Toushiro **has changed his relationship status to 'Married' to **Tayomi Sakuri.  
**Comments:  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **OOOH TAICHO! That's so sweet! Why didn't I receive an invitation to your wedding?  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Because you didn't do your paper work.

**Tayomi Sakuri **has changed her relationship status to 'Married' to **Hitsugaya Toushiro.  
**Comments:  
**Hinamori Momo: **Yomi-chan! Invite me to be your bridesmaid!  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **Haha, sure!  
**Ukitake Juushiro: **Tayomi-chan... How come you're married and I didn't know about it?  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **Ukitake-san... It's just a status.  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Yeah, a status which might come true in future. Who knows?  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **YAY!

**Hinamori Momo: **AWESOME! Shiro-chan and Yomi-chan are getting married!  
Comments:  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **No... It's a just a status, Hina-chan! We're not even engaged. Besides, we're too young. We shall see in future though!  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Stupid bed-wetter.

**Tayomi Sakuri: **SUSU-CHAN IS THE MOST ADORABLE BOY IN THE WHOLE WORLD.  
_100 people like this status.  
_Comments:  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **YES! Taicho is so adorable!  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **He's really hot too...  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **To you, maybe...  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **...  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **You know it's true!

**Hirako Shinji: **Everyone, let's kill Aizen!  
_300 people like this status._

**Hitsugaya Toushiro:** I am not adorable. Please ignore Tayomi's statement.  
Comments:  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **AS IF!  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I'm not.  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **Susu-chan kawaii!  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Right.

**Tayomi Sakuri** has updated her photo album, 'Me and Susu-chan!'  
_200 people like this album.  
_Comments:  
**Matsumoto Rangiku: **Aww! How cute!  
**Hinamori Momo: **I like the picture of them with Hitsumi and Shikuri!  
**Ukitake Juushiro: **Ah! Young love...  
**Kurosaki Ichigo: **Who knew Toushiro was that sort of person...  
**Kuchiki Rukia: **Kawaii! Just like Chappy!  
**Abarai Renji: **Awesome!  
**Kira Izuru: **It's really nice...  
**Hisagi Shuuhei: **Agreed!

**Tayomi Sakuri -Hitsugaya Toushiro  
**At midnight!  
Comments:  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **Of course.  
**Tayomi Sakuri: **YAY! Don't forget, okay?  
**Hitsugaya Toushiro: **I won't.

Tayomi logged off happily and hopped to her bed, staring at her phone. In two hours time, she would receive a call from him. She could not wait to surprise him by telling him that she would have time to visit him the next day.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Yay! Sorry for the long wait, had lots of tests this week again.  
Next chapter, Tayomi visits Hitsugaya :D So stay tuned!  
Please review! Thanks! ^.^  
P.S. Who is sad about the new Bleach chapter? I was...


	41. Warm Greetings

**CHAPTER 41: WARM GREETINGS**

Tayomi stepped out of the Senkai gate, with a bunch of flowers in one hand and a stuffed toy in the other. She could not stop smiling to herself for several reasons. Firstly, it felt great to be back at home, at the Gotei 13 headquarters. Secondly, she had bumped into many people that she had not seen in ages, like Hisagi, Kira and Hinamori. They had all smiled at her happily, glad to see her after such a long time. Ukitake was elated to see her after such a long time. Everyone knew where she was headed. There was only one place where she desired to go right now. Tayomi wanted to return to Hitsugaya. Hardly able to contain her excitement, she clutched her gifts tightly, eager to see him.

Entering the 4th Division's barracks, she was greeted by Captain Unohana, the first Captain she had ever worked under. Unohana smiled at her gently, leading her to Hitsugaya's room. Isane had just left Hitsugaya's room and smiled at her former colleague, telling her that she had left some instructions on Hitsugaya's treatment procedure on the bedside table. Tayomi nodded and thanked her, before gently pushing open the door to Hitsugaya's ward. She smiled, once she noticed that he was fast asleep. As per usual, he was still frowning in his sleep, clearly troubled by something. She tiptoed into the room and placed the flowers on his bedside table, picking up the sheet of instructions. Skimming through it, she clicked her tongue, wondering how he would react if he knew that she was treating him today. It had been a long time since she treated his injuries personally and it usually involved some sort of embarrassing experience. She placed the stuffed bunny beside him and tucked it under his right arm, while she gently picked up his left hand and held it close to her warm cheeks. His hand felt cold and she rubbed it against her cheeks, sighing in content. Watching him sleep was most peaceful to her. Just then, Hitsugaya rustled from his sleep, slowly opening his eyes. Once he saw her, he smiled immediately. Tayomi helped him sit up, still holding his hand and smiling.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice sounding slightly weak.

"I'm here to visit you, of course!" Tayomi beamed. "Unohana Taicho let me be your personal nurse for today! I never thought I'd be playing nurse again after such a long time..."

"You didn't really need to come here... I'm fine." He sighed.

"Eh... But I missed you too much... You mean..." Tayomi had a sudden thought. "You didn't... miss me?"

"No..." Hitsugaya leaned forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Of course I missed you. But you had to take time off to visit me, didn't you?"

"It's alright." Tayomi blushed, well-aware that her cheeks were burning up at that instant. "I finished up most of the paper work over the weekend anyway!"

"Even so, you didn't have to get me anything..." He glanced at the flowers and the stuffed toy.

"I'm not even done yet. I've yet to give you my third present."

"What is it?"

"This."

Tayomi leaned forward and ran her hand from his neck down his chest, as she kissed him passionately on the lips. They drew back slowly, unable to stop smiling. They had not seen each other for two weeks and being apart proved to be very difficult for them. Hitsugaya pulled her closer towards him and locked lips with her again, knowing that they had been apart for too long and that he had missed her dearly. Not hearing her girly laughter and seeing her adorable face was akin to torturing him. Tayomi looked down and blushed as they drew back again and he tucked a strand of her dark black hair behind her ear. He interlocked his fingers with hers, their shiny silver rings touching each others. Hitsugaya smiled as he looked at the ring, happy to know that she had kept the ring on all this time.

"You didn't think I would take it off, did you?" Tayomi smiled.

"I'm glad you kept it on..." He blushed.

"I wouldn't ever take it off. I haven't taken off the bracelet you gave to me as a birthday present back in school either."

Tayomi scratched her head, still blushing madly. She felt slightly awkward, treating him after such a long time. All of a sudden, she remembered that Unohana had previously informed her that Hitsugaya had attempted to train even though he was still injured, and ended up injuring himself again. She sighed and shook her head, half smiling at Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya glanced at her with a puzzled look on his face, before she burst out giggling. She told him exactly what Unohana had told her, causing him to look down at his hands and blush. Smiling, she asked him where it was and he pointed to his back. Tayomi's face turned red instantly as she watched him remove his shirt. _RESIS RESIST RESIST! _She tried not to stare, since it was rather rude, but it was hard to turn her eyes away from him. Though she had been in the same situation at least thrice before, she still felt rather awkward. She could feel her heart thumping loudly in her chest and her cheeks burn up. It was undeniable that he was extremely good-looking, even though he fiercely denied it. Climbing onto the bed and sitting behind him, a pale green light appeared over his wound and she focused all her attention onto it, instead of the fact that Hitsugaya was shirtless. Once she was done, she hopped off his bed and helped him put his shirt back on. Hitsugaya hesitated, wanting to thank her. Instead, he pulled her in towards him and ended up hugging her. He could feel her resting on his shoulder and smiled.

* * *

Suddenly, he let go of her abruptly and ran to the bathroom. Tayomi was a little shocked by his sudden action, sensing that something was definitely wrong. She crept near the bathroom door and pressed her ear against it, trying to hear what was going on inside. At once, she knew something was wrong. Choking sounds and gasps for breath were vaguely heard from her position. She wondered if she should barge in and check on him, but that seemed rather inappropriate. Jumping on someone who was in the bathroom was not exactly the most respectful thing to do. But then again, she felt uneasy to leave him there. She had to know what was going on with him. If something had happened to him while she foolishly stood outside, she could never forgive herself. Slowly, she opened the door and peeked in.

Hitsugaya was seen bending over the sink, blood dripping from his mouth. Once he heard the door creak, he cringed. He wished that she did not have to see him in such a state. Just then, he felt another wave of blood come from the back of his throat and choked, spitting the blood out and watching it run down the sink. Tayomi could feel herself getting emotional. She knew at once that it was a side effect of his treatment. The poison from Ichimaru's blade was being removed from his body in such a painful manner. Hitsugaya violently wiped away the blood stain on his mouth, hoping that it was over. Unfortunately, it was not as his body lunged forward, while he spewed out a whole gush of blood from his mouth. He knew that she was watching him. He knew that she was already crumbling, breaking and bleeding inside. He detested the fact that she had to see it all and watch the side effects of the treatment take place before her eyes. He had hoped to be able to hide it from her forever, but in the end, she still found out and saw it for herself. Tayomi could feel tears rushing up to her eyes as he washed the blood stain on his mouth and looked up at her. Hitsugaya ran up for her immediately and held her in his arms, as she cried. She hated watching him in pain, especially if it was because of her.

"Susu-chan... I'm sorry..." She sobbed. "I wish I could have taken the poison from you and be the one in pain instead..."

"It's alright... It'll be gone sooner or later anyway." He sighed, stroking her long black hair. "I'm perfectly fine with it. I'm the one in pain, not you, and that's what's important."

Tayomi shook her head and tightened her grip around his waist.

"Idiot..."

"Let's go for a walk, alright?" He tried to smile and steer her attention away from the whole blood-spitting incident.

Tayomi nodded her head slowly. Hitsugaya sighed and put his arm around her, walking out of his ward together.

* * *

The sun was about to set and formed a beautiful gradient, fading form bright orange to a pale purple shade. The sun sank into the horizon and the sky was clear, without a single white cloud in sight. Hitsugaya climbed onto the roof of the 4th Division's barracks with ease, later turning back to pull Tayomi up. She had always been horrible in climbing up onto objects. Tayomi blushed, feeling remorseful that Hitsugaya still had to help her up, even though he was injured and the poison was still more or less in his system. Climbing up beside him, she rested her head on his shoulder and let him kiss her forehead gently. The atmosphere was peaceful and tranquil up there, as they watched the Shinigami hurry about on their errands around the Gotei 13 headquarters.

"We have to get off in half an hour's time, right?" Tayomi asked.

"Yeah. Sou-Taicho's coming by and he doesn't exactly approve of public displays of affection, or inter-division romances for that matter." Hitsugaya replied coldly.

"Do you think he knows about us..?"

"No. He doesn't even know how to use SpiritBook, so there's no way he knows. Besides, the other Captains and Shinigami know that it's best not to let him know."

"What do you think he'll do... If he ever found out?" She started to feel a slight panic in her heart.

"I don't know. He wouldn't demote us, because we're still in the midst of our battle against Aizen and every Captain is a top priority right now."

"You know what? Maybe I don't want to know what he'd do to us if he ever found out..."

"Same here."

Tayomi wound her arm around his and sighed. It was a rare moment for them to sit on the roof and not have to worry about anything that was going on in the world below. That rare moment of peace hardly came by ever since Aizen appeared and wrecked havoc all over the place. She had a strange feeling that she would be clashing with Ichimaru soon and that she would have to go all out on him. Clearing her mind of all thoughts, she looked up at Hitsugaya and smiled, as he looked out at the sky, smiling.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY :D Reunion! They finally get a moment together, in peace without disruptions.  
As expected, Tayomi will be clashing with Ichimaru in the next chapter. She's gonna go all out on him, determined to defeat him. She also has much to say to him anyways XD  
Stay tuned for the next chapter! ^.^  
I hope you all liked this chapter. Please review!Thanks! :D


	42. Tayomi VS Ichimaru

**CHAPTER 42: TAYOMI VS ICHIMARU**

Tayomi looked up at the sky, as the stars danced about and sparkled against the navy blue background. A gentle breeze blew past her face, sweeping her hair backwards. She closed her eyes, letting all her thoughts of him rush into her mind. It had to be done today. It was time to settle the score once and for all. She tried to take the hit for him and she did, but in the end it was he who suffered the dire consequences. Ichimaru. Ichimaru Gin. He would pay dearly. Once he had repaid his debt, it would be Aizen's turn. Tayomi sighed, wondering what she should do. Surely, there was another way out? Ichimaru's behaviour was rather strange, even for a strange man like him. Something was not right with his behaviour. Taking a deep breath and hoping that her deduction was correct, she hopped off the rooftop and landed safely five storeys below, before running off towards the north, towards his reiatsu.

She stopped in her tracks in the middle of the journey, sensing that he had shifted from his position and was moving in another direction. Running her fingers through her hair and grumbling, she knew that he was on the move and chased after him. After a few minutes of running around, she came face to face with a grinning man with silver hair. He had a creepy smile, showing his teeth to her. Tayomi's expression was as stern and as serious as ever, greeting him with anything but a smile.

"Hiya, Tayomi-chan!" Ichimaru waved at her, effectively ticking her off. "How's Hitsugaya-kun doin'?"

Tayomi refused to reply him and tightened her grip on her Zanpakutou, unsheathing it slowly.

"Aww, why are ya so silent?" He shrugged. "Don't cha have anythin' to say to me? Say fer example, 'Hiya, Gin-kun' or somethin' like that?"

Tayomi pointed her Zanpakutou at Ichimaru, refusing to speak a single word. It was between him and her, her and him. They had to settle a score today.

"Well then, since ya aren't gonna talk, then..." Ichimaru slowly unsheathed his Zanpakutou as well.

Tayomi disappeared in a flash. All of a sudden, the clashing of blades echoed throughout the vicinity as Tayomi jumped on Ichimaru and waved her Zanpakutou at him. Ichimaru defended himself quickly, still grinning away. Tayomi jumped back and did a backflip, landing her feet against a wall and pushing off, letting herself rush at Ichimaru at top speed. While in the air, she changed the direction of her blade, aiming it right for his guy. Ichimaru dodged neatly, much to her dismay. Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou tight and landed safely on the ground. She turned behind to glare at Ichimaru, fury burning madly in her eyes. Using Shunpo, she dashed towards him and pushed her blade against his.

"Ikkimaku, Inazuma Kaze."

* * *

Hitsugaya lay in bed, unable to sleep. The moonlight was gently beaming onto his face. Soul Society's sky was cloudy today and showed signs of possible rain. The stars simply refused to shine that night. In his heart, he felt slightly uneasy for an unknown reason. Perhaps it was because he had been away from the Living World for about a month now and he wondered how his team were down there. He was curious to find out what they had accomplished and went through ever since his injury. Most importantly, he was worried about Tayomi. As strong as her resolve could be sometimes, he had to admit that she crumbled relatively easily. He hoped that she was handling it well and could cope with the workload down below.

He tried to shrug off the uneasiness and shut his eyes tight, trying to get to sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, hugging the bunny she gave him close to his chest. But nothing worked. He just could not sleep until he heard her voice. It was in the middle of the night and he was positive that she was fast asleep. He pondered for a brief moment, before reaching out for his phone and dialling her number. The phone continued to ring, as his heartbeat picked up.

"_Hihi! This is Tayomi-chan. I'm busy right now, either with work, or music or with my friends. So if it's urgent, leave me a message after the beep! But if you're Aizen, then go away! Bye bye!"_

_Darn it, I got her voicemail. There's no way she'd sleep through her ringtone. Perhaps..._

"Tayomi... Where are you? Call me back, alright?"

* * *

The blast of lightning hit Ichimaru square in the face as Tayomi released her Zanpakutou. Her Zanpakutou divided itself into three blades, with the black outer blades bearing sharp spikes and curving slightly outwards, while the middle yellow blade extended itself. Ichimaru was sent flying backwards and crashed against the wall. Blood began to drip down the side of his face and he grinned, sensing that things were about to get interesting. Tayomi glared at him, with fire burning in her eyes. She slid her palm over the yellow blade and drew her Zanpakutou backwards, before lunging it forward and sending out a rope created by a lightning bolt at Ichimaru. He dodged it quickly, heaving a sigh of relief. The lightning rope had narrowly missed him by a centimetre and getting caught in that rope would bring about dire consequences. Tayomi grumbled, angry that she had missed Ichimaru again. Unwilling to give up, she sent another rope flying at him at lightning speed, hoping that Ichimaru would be entangled in it. Her hopes fell as Ichimaru used Shunpo to dodge her advance. Grinning, he released his Zanpakutou as well. Tayomi quickly jumped sideways as Shinsou extended itself, aiming straight for her. She landed safely on the ground, turning to her right to see Ichimaru's blade retract itself and Ichimaru still grinning as widely as ever.

"Ah, Tayomi-chan, why are ya so unwillin' ta chat with me?"

Tayomi refused to reply him, running her fingers through her hair. She knew that Ichimaru had been unusually soft on her. He knew that she was a threat to him and that if he was not careful, she could easily overpower him and knock him to the ground. Ichimaru was definitely holding back. His actions practically spoke for themselves. She had quite a clear idea of what was going on. _Perhaps it would be better to confirm my suspicions... I need to confirm this assumption of mine. I should continue the fight._

Her hand began to glow bright red and she quickly fired Hadou 33, Shakkaho, right at Ichimaru. He grinned and dodged neatly, before dashing towards her, aiming for her chest. She blocked his attack with the blade of her Zanpakutou, shocked by his sudden gesture. Ichimaru forced his blade against hers with brute strength, as she struggled to keep the tip of his Zanpakutou as far away from her as possible. Ichimaru was so much taller than her, practically towering over her like a giant. He was much older that she was too, explaining his amount of strength which was definitely enough to overpower hers any day. Tayomi was determined not to fall into his hands and let herself be killed. Placing her palm against the middle blade of Inazuma Kaze, she pushed his blade away with all her might, letting every ounce of strength in her body force his blade backwards and stop it from advancing. She succeeded in doing so, causing Ichimaru to jerk back slightly. He smiled and smirked, before raising his blade and aiming for her head.

_He's definitely being soft on me. And I think I know why._

* * *

"Tayomi... Call me..." Hitsugaya sighed, with a hint of worry in his voice.

That was the tenth time he had called her, the tenth time his call was directed to her mailbox. Tayomi never switched off her phone. She always picked up her calls, especially if it was from him. Something seemed to be wrong. He decided to call Matsumoto and ask her to check on Tayomi.

"Ahhh... Hello?" Matsumoto yawned. "Who are you? Calling me in the middle of the night... Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm not." Hitsugaya groaned.

"TAICHO!" Matsumoto squeaked and jumped up from her bed.

"Matsumoto, do me a favour and help me check on Tayomi..." He spoke coldly. "I tried calling her, she won't pick up."

"Ooh Taicho..." Matsumoto teased him. "Since when were you the type to make late night phone calls to the love of your life? How sweet!"

"JUST CHECK ON HER."

Matsumoto unlocked her door and dragged her feet to Tayomi's room. She peeped her head in.

"Taicho... No one's there..."

* * *

Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou hard. What exactly was Ichimaru thinking? He was being soft on her, despite her being a great threat to Aizen and his plans. Given his circumstances, he would have released his Bankai even though his intelligence was about the same as hers. Ichimaru would not like to waste time on her and his Bankai would end their fight much quicker. Yet, he had not released his Bankai. He released Shinsou only twice and he had begun to bleed. Tayomi sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, wondering how she could end the fight. Ichimaru did not seem tired of it, but she was sick of fighting with him. She needed to confront him as soon as possible. It was definitely time to end the fight, once she got the chances. Waving her Zanpakutou sideways, she sent a series of lightning darts at Ichimaru. He avoided her attacks swiftly, grinning as the darts embedded themselves into the brick walls, cracking it in the process.

"That was harsh, Tayomi-chan!" Ichimaru pretended to look disappointed, but hid a strong sense of sacarsm in his voice. "C'mon, be nice to ya fellow child prodigy!"

She shook her head violently, before raising her blade and aiming it at him. Tayomi disappeared in a flash and forced her blade against his, pushing him against the wall with all her energy. By accident, she pushed him against one of the darts on the wall. Ichimaru cringed as he felt the sharp, spiked dart dig right into his flesh. She dragged him away from the wall by the collar and threw him onto the floor. Ichimaru's blood splattered all over her face, as his wound began to spew blood. Fiercely, she stomped her foot on his chest and deactivated her Shikai, stabbing her blade into the hard, cemented ground. Ichimaru held his breath, wondering what she was about to do to him.

Tayomi swept her hair out of her face and pulled her Zanpakutou out of the ground. Gripping her Zanpakutou, she smirked and bent down slightly, raising her arm high in the air.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**OMG WHAT IS TAYOMI ABOUT TO DO?  
Sorry for the late update, I've been really busy this week and had a short period of writer's block. I planned to have this battle from the start, but couldn't think of the best way to portray their battle. But it's finally up yay :D  
Alright, so now Tayomi seems a bit crazy and Hitsugaya is worried. Find out how this battle ends in the next chapter! XD  
I'm excited, because I'm going to an Anime Festival during the holidays! :D Not sure what to cosplay as though... But I'll think up of one soon XP  
Hope you all liked this chapter :) Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	43. Crossing Over

**CHAPTER 43: CROSSING OVER**

Tayomi shuddered a little, her hand tightly gripping her Zanpakutou which was pointed right at Ichimaru's neck. For the first time, Ichimaru was not smiling like he usually did. His expression was solemn and devoid of the usual joy it had. She clenched her fist, still shaking in sheer anger. Her fury was burning within her, ready to take over her body anytime. She shut her eyes tight and screamed, before using her fist to punch Ichimaru in the face. He spat blood out onto the floor after taking a devastating blow from her. Tayomi crumbled to her knees and slapped him, leaving a red hand-print on his left cheek.

"You bastard..." She grumbled in a low, fierce tone.

Ichimaru looked up at the young girl, whose features spelt nothing but pure anger. He watched her hand fly right at his face, forcing his face to turn to the opposite side over and over again. Tayomi continued to launch her fist repeatedly at his face, showing no intent of stopping. Ichimaru could feel his face burning up, aching in pain and sore from her blows. She punched and slapped him till her fists had begun to bleed, staining his face with more blood.

"Do you know..." Tayomi screamed. "Do you know that Rangiku-chan has been waiting for you all this while?"

"I..." Ichimaru tried to fend for himself.

"SHUT UP YOU BASTARD! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK! SHUT UP!"

Ichimaru kept silent and opened his eyes a little.

"I hate irresponsible guys... Guys who just leave a girl there hanging, without explaining a single thing to her. Guys who hurt a girl and never apologised for doing so. Guys who never tried to explain their circumstances to a girl and decided not to tell her anything, leaving her confused and all alone... Ichimaru Gin, I don't care what reasons you have, but you're one of those idiotic, irresponsible guys and you hurt Rangiku-chan! WHY DIDN'T YOU BOTHER EXPLAINING THINGS TO HER? SHE HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU! YOU CAN'T... YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE HER THERE WITHOUT TELLING HER ANYTHING! AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU APOLOGISED TO HER BEFOREHAND... BECAUSE AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE, A SIMPLE APOLOGY ISN'T GOING TO CUT IT AT ALL!"

She slammed her fist against Ichimaru's face, causing him to cringe in pain. By now, his body was sore all over and it could barely move. Tayomi's assault, along with the injuries he had sustained, was more than enough to keep him lying on the ground, unable to move. He struggled to remain conscious, expecting that Tayomi would continue to beat him up harder in order to get her words into his brain.

"You irresponsible brat... If you ran into trouble, Aizen would be the last one coming to your rescue! He doesn't treasure you as much as Soul Society... The Captains and Vice-Captains... He doesn't treasure you as much as Rangiku-san did! WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON HIS SIDE?" Tayomi shouted, lunging her fist square onto his nose.

"While you were standing around, grinning to yourself and having fun poking at others, what do you think Rangiku-chan was doing? You're her friend! You mean so much to her and I know she means a lot to you too... I don't believe... I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN'T FEEL EVEN A SLIGHTEST HINT OF PAIN FROM HER HEART!"

Tayomi got up slowly, shivering in madness.

"I'm not going to kill you..." She whispered coldly, her voice lacking emotion. "I know you went soft on me earlier on. This is your last chance, Ichimaru. If I find out that you have not tried to look for Rangiku-chan and still intend to leave her all worried sick... I will really, really let loose all of my power on you and make sure that you die right in front of my very eyes."

With that, Tayomi stood up and turned behind, walking slowly towards home. Ichimaru lay there, deep in thought as Tayomi's words echoed throughout his mind. For a young girl who acted her age, she was mature. Her words did make so much sense. He finally understood why and how she managed to gain the trust of her colleagues and subordinates. He smiled a little and struggled to stand up. From the building above him, a dark figure sighed and turned to return to wherever he came from. _That's so typical of you, Sakuri... The others may not know that side of you, but I do..._

* * *

Tayomi crept back into the house late at night, after having changed back into her Gigai. Sighing, she hoped that she had not caused too much of a ruckus. The house was silent and dark, with everyone fast asleep. She noticed that the lights in her room had been switched on, leading her to wonder if she had forgotten to turn it off before leaving. Gingerly opening the door and letting out a tiny yawn, she was completely blown away by shock when she saw Hitsugaya lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She pinched herself over and over again, wondering if she had gotten so sleepy that she was dreaming while awake.

"Hitsu-chan..." Tayomi muttered to herself in shock. "Is that..."

Hitsugaya stood up and walked over to her slowly, with his hands in his pocket. Smiling slightly, he removed one of his hands from his pocket and patted her head. Tayomi blushed, still feeling shaken from the rush of emotions. She could feel Hitsugaya's eyes burning into hers and her heart beat began to pick up, beating faster and faster. It felt like the first time she looked into his eyes. It was awkward, yet very peaceful and fulfilling. She felt as if her heart had been set on fire and she could not avoid his gaze any longer. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a small squeeze, glad to have him back in her arms again. Hitsugaya gave a sigh of satisfaction, before gently kissing her on the lips. They drew back slowly, reluctantly, before Tayomi realised that her back was against the wall. Looking up at Hitsugaya, she could sense a sort of pain in his eyes as he placed his hand against the wall and leaned in closer towards her. Running the back of his hand down her face, he tilted his head and closed the distance between his lips and hers again. Tayomi was a little taken aback by his sudden gesture, but she knew that she could not possibly hate it, or bring herself to push him away. She felt Hitsugaya grab her wrists all of a sudden and hold it up.

"Tell me what you've been up to..." He whispered into her ear. "I want to hear it from you and you only."

The both of them looked down at her hands, which were covered and stained with blood. Her knuckles had not stopped bleeding and the blood has stained his face by accident, after coming into contact with her hands. Tayomi gasped and looked at her feet. She wondered how she could explain everything to him. She wondered what Hitsugaya would do when he found out that she had let Ichimaru go and gave him a chance to repent.

Hitsugaya sighed and held her bleeding hands close to his chest, before kissing her on the forehead. He looked at her, hoping that she would tell him something. Tayomi sighed as Hitsumi and Shikuri hopped onto her lap. Stroking her bunnies' fur, she spilled the details of what had happened before she entered the house. She could feel some tears on the verge of spilling over, when he wiped the tears away and held her tightly in his arms.

"It's alright. I saw everything." He replied, stroking her hair. "I... I just wanted to hear it from you, that's all."

"You... You saw it?" Tayomi looked up at him.

"Yeah." He nodded. "It's alright... I won't tell Yamamoto about it. It'll just be another little secret between us, I guess."

"Eh... Susu-chan?" Tayomi blushed again.

"Yeah?"

"Can I hug you?"

"Aren't you already doing that?"

They both looked down. Tayomi had subconsciously wrapped her arms around his waist again.

"Oh..."

"Idiot."

"What..."

"I was joking. Even if you are an idiot..." Hitsugaya smiled. "I'd still like you, no matter how crazy you are."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Matsumoto sighed and dragged her feet lazily, before pulling on the door handle. In front of her stood Ichimaru, who was not grinning like his usual self. She stood frozen, rooted to the ground. She felt like slamming the door in his face, but yet she knew she could never bring herself to do so. Ichimaru slowly reached out his hand and pulled her out of the door, suggesting that they went for a little walk while he told her something important.

* * *

Matsumoto grumbled as she walked down the walkway, next to Ichimaru. He had not let go of her hand, but she could not shake it off. He looked down at his feet with a solemn expression, before turning to her and attempting to explain himself.

"Ran-chan..."

"What?" Matsumoto pouted.

"I'm sorry."

"You've said that before."

"Tayomi-chan was right... I failed to explain things to ya... And now I'll make it up to ya by explainin' everything..."

"Tayomi-chan?"

"Yeah." Ichimaru nodded. "I joined Aizen Taicho because I... I wanted ta take back what was taken from ya... And after hearing what that lil' Captain had said, I think I mighta have done it the wrong way..."

"You got that right."

"I'm gonna leave Aizen Taicho... And go back to Ran-chan's side. And I'm never leaving Ran-chan's side again."

Matsumoto could not hold back her happy tears and hugged Ichimaru tight.

* * *

Tayomi, Hitsugaya, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika were sitting in the living room. Renji and Ikkaku were lazing around on the sofa, while Yumichika was preening in the windows, staring at his own reflection and flicking his hair. Tayomi had fallen asleep on the floor and Hitsugaya was watching over her, running his fingers through her hair. Matsumoto returned, with Ichimaru following behind her. To her surprise, the other Shinigami had not made a move on Ichimaru or attempt to attack him. Hitsugaya nodded and informed Matsumoto that Tayomi had explained everything to them. Ichimaru bowed before them, apologising and pledging his loyalty to them. At that exact same moment, Tayomi woke up and smiled.

"Thank ya... Tayomi-chan." Ichimaru grinned.

"It's alright." Tayomi smiled. "We could definitely use your help against Aizen..."

"I can tell ya all about the new Espada, if ya want."

"Sure."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Lol I think most of you thought Tayomi would kill Gin... :D Ahhh she won't do it! I'm keeping Gin alive -DIE AIZEN DIE-  
Well then, next chapter we shall learn more about the new Espada! XD And sorry for the late update, exams drawing closer and closer T.T  
Hope you all liked this chapter! ^.^ Please review! Thanks! :D


	44. The Coming Battle

**CHAPTER 44: THE COMING BATTLE**

Tayomi lay on the bed, staring right up at the ceiling blankly. Ichimaru's words echoed out in her brain repeatedly, as she wondered what Aizen had up his sleeve. His actions appeared absolutely dumb to her, like it usually did, but it definitely meant that he was confident of a victory this time round. _We've beaten him before... Surely we can do it again... _Tayomi tried to shove all negative thoughts out of her head, but failed to do so. After all, Aizen's Zanpakutou had the ability to take control of their five senses and mess with their minds. That alone was enough to pose a threat. If they were unable to distinguish illusions from reality, the outcome of the battle would be anything but good.

Suddenly, she felt a hand ruffle her hair. Tayomi glanced to her right and smiled at Hitsugaya, who was lying down beside her. She could tell that he was worried about the outcome of the battle. As much as they both hated to admit it, Aizen was a strong adversary. A small mistake could result in a heavy price to pay. Ever since Aizen's return, there was hardly a day when he would just smile. He had been keeping all his worries, all his fears inside of him. Tayomi could sense the anger and fear embedded deep within his turquoise eyes. She turned over to face him and tried to smile, hoping that it would cheer him up. Hitsugaya tried to smile back at her as well, but he knew that she was worried, just like him. He knew that she feared watching her friends lose their lives in front of her very eyes and that she feared losing him the most. Reaching out to hold her hand, he silently swore to himself that such a thing would never happen. They would both stay alive for each other's sakes and once everything was over, they would lead a peaceful, happy life together. Things would turn out the way they wanted it. Things had to turn out the way they wanted it.

"You're scared." He muttered under his breath.

"No..." Tayomi shook her head. "I was never afraid of you from the start."

"I wasn't referring to myself."

Tayomi look down at his hand, which was tightly wrapped around hers. She sighed, fully aware that he had just read her mind again. Not bothering to say anything else, she proceeded to bury her face in his chest and closed her eyes, hugging him tightly. Hitsugaya gave a sigh of content and shook his head. There she was again. Whenever she realised that he knew what was on her mind, she would always do that. Tayomi felt his arms around her and his breath blowing gently at her hair, as she smiled and snuggled in his embrace. Hitsugaya held her close to him, determined to keep her safe in his arms forever.

* * *

Ichimaru lay out five pictures on the ground. Tayomi instantly recognised three of them. According to Ichigo, they were spitting images of Starrk, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. The other two were unfamiliar to her, until Renji pointed out that the purple-haired Arrancar resembled Syazel, the eighth Espada. Hitsugaya choked when he realised that the man in the fifth picture looked exactly like a male version of the Espada he fought, Halibel. Tayomi had to calm him down and hug him tightly before he finally got a hold on himself. Every single member of the New Espada and the members of Aizen's Espada looked exactly alike. Ichimaru sighed, explaining that Aizen had decided to cut down the number of members in the Espada, as he was confident that five members would be more than enough to take down Soul Society's Gotei 13. Tayomi rolled her eyes. Aizen could not be more obstinate.

"I've never really seen any of the five Espada fight... But I'm sure that they are definitely strong. Aizen handpicked at least two hundred Arrancars with potential and power ta be part of his Espada. Then, he had them fight each other ta the death until the dust had cleared and only five were left standing. So, the New Espada that ya are looking at, these five managed to survive continuous violent attacks and rampages from a hundred and ninety-five other Arrancars, all who possessed terrifying powers of their own." Ichimaru spoke seriously.

"That's expected." Hitsugaya sighed. "If Aizen would decrease the numbers in his army, it's not surprising that he's confident of a victory."

"Though I have ta say, the number of Fraccion involved in the battle had increased slightly. Aizen also divided up the Fraccion. Now there are about twenty Fraccions and they have been divided inta two groups. One group specialises in direct combat and the other specialises in Kidou-type attacks. Both groups are pretty strong for Fraccions."

"I expect there will be some sort of hierarchy in the New Espada as well?" Tayomi raised an eyebrow.

"Spot on, Tayomi-chan. This time, the Espada with black hair, the one who looks depressed..." Ichimaru pointed to the Espada who resembled Ulquiorra. "He's the leader of the New Espada. Viquierra Cifer. Brother of Ulquiorra Cifer. And that one... The purple-haired one is second. His name is Heryanaa Apporo Granz, stepbrother of Syazel Apporo Granz, Espada Eight. I never really see 'im around, but I gotta admit that he's pretty strong. He fought off fifty Arrancar while he was still injured..."

"Wow... That's strong." Ikkaku gasped.

"An' following them is Geneva Jacquerain, cousin of Grimmjow, the only girl in this New Espada. Then it's Wolffe Barrk and Kiiyaa Halibel. In short, they're all relatives of Aizen's Espada, which makes their power completely self-explanatory. Runs in the family, huh?"

"Yeah." Ichigo nodded. "But we're going to defeat them again."

"That's easier said than done." Rukia snapped.

"Urahara agreed to let us use his underground training area. I'll see all of you there at eight o'clock in the morning." Tayomi smiled. "We're going to train and get stronger... And let Aizen taste defeat all over again!"

"EIGHT O'CLOCK?" Ichigo shrieked and fell backwards in shock.

"Yes, eight o'clock." Hitsugaya nodded seriously. "Whoever is late will suffer the dire consequences. Tayomi and I will decide your fate, SO COME EARLY."

"Yes..." Tayomi smiled. "Unless you intend to die by Susu-chan's hand!"

"Don't call me that."

"SUSU-CHAN SUSU-CHAN SUSU-CHAN!"

Tayomi pounced onto Hitsugaya from the back and hugged his neck tightly. He sighed and shook his head, reaching out his hand to pat her head. She giggled as she forced a smile onto his face using her fingers, causing him to grumble. Matsumoto began to laugh, while she watched the two little Captains play around with each other. She knew that as much as her Captain seemed irritated, she knew that he was secretly enjoying this attention from the Captain of the 5th Division. Ichimaru grinned as well and put his arm around Matsumoto's neck.

"They're really playful, don't ya think?" He laughed.

"They're always like that..." Matsumoto sighed in content. Everything felt right at last.

* * *

An hour later, Tayomi rustled from her sleep, slowly opening her eyes. Hitsugaya was still fast asleep beside her and she decided not to wake him up. The day's events had undoubtedly left him exhausted and she slowly lifted his arm up, escaping from his embrace. Grabbing her comb and combing her hair, she walked to the study and fished out a piece of paper. She yawned and stretched, before reaching out to take her pen and drafting out a rough plan of what they would do tomorrow. There was much to do within such a short period of time. Aizen was close by, in the same vicinity as them. That made training more vital than ever. In order to ensure a victory, they would have to overpower Aizen before he could play his usual dirty tricks. She twirled her pen in her fingers and rested her head on the desk, wondering what they could do. Other than communicating with their Zanpakutou, they had to work on the four basic Shinigami Arts, though she deeply hated Hakuda. Also, they would have to train their physical strength. There was so much to do and so little time to do it.

According to Urahara, the Vizards would be doing training of their own, leaving her slightly relieved. She knew that the Vizards would be able to take care of themselves and she had complete faith in their abilities. As tempted as she was so ask Ichimaru for help, she knew that he had just been reunited with Matsumoto and they had lots to catch up on. _It's better not the disturb the two of them..._ Tayomi forced herself up and saw Hitsugaya staring at her, scratching his head. She wondered what he was about to say, as she had ignored his instructions. She ignored the fact that he had told her to wake him up. _Oh no. He's going to kill me for this._

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He was staring at her, right in the eyes.

"You were sleepy..." Tayomi tried to avoid his gaze, but was trapped in it. "I was going to wake you up like... An hour later."

"Speak for yourself. You're sleepy too."

He picked up her hand and pulled her up.

"There isn't point doing work when you're sleepy."

"Huh, but you always do your paper work even though you're sleepy."

"That's different." He snapped, before tugging on her arm. "Go back to your room and sleep."

"No." She shook her head, feeling playful.

"Alright then." He sighed. "You leave me no choice."

Hitsugaya quickly put his arms around her and picked her up, carrying her in his arms. She squealed, causing all the other Shinigami in the house to wonder what had happened. They watched in shock as Hitsugaya came out of the study, carrying Tayomi to their room. Matsumoto giggled and Renji was left speechless.

"AHHHHH!" She laughed. "Don't do that!"

He did not say anything. Tayomi snuggled in his arms and hid her face in his chest, under his chin. Hitsugaya smiled, kissing her on the forehead. _She's sleepy. I knew it. _He placed her on her bed and covered her up with her pink blanket, kissing her gently on the lips and holding her hand. Tayomi smiled at him, then closed her eyes and listened to his orders for once, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Aizen kicked up his feet and placed them on his desk. Ichimaru had left his side and defected back to Soul Society. With a smirk on his face, he knew that the possibilities of him ever being forgiven were zero. Nothing was wrong. With or without Ichimaru, he would proceed with his plans. With or without Ichimaru, he was more than able to defeat the Gotei 13 and emerge victorious again. Viquierra remained as stoic as he usually was, Heryanaa had a smug look on his face, Geneva simply slumped in her chair and crossed her legs, Wolffe yawned sleepily and Kiiya had an expressionless look on his face. Victory... Victory would be theirs for sure.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Wheeeee... And impending battle is in sight! The fight between the New Espada and Gotei 13 is about to start soon! XD  
But before that... We shall look into their training at Urahara's training facility :D  
4 weeks to my exams. Oh gosh T.T But after that, I can spam chapters lol ^.^  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	45. Training! YAY!

**CHAPTER 45: TRAINING! YAY!**

Sunlight streamed into their room, which had previously been pitch black due to the night. The warmth of the sun managed to find its way to Tayomi, as it created a tingling sensation on her bright pink cheeks. Her eyes somehow managed to detect the presence of sunlight and her body immediately knew that the sun had risen. It was no longer night, but day. Forcing herself up and letting out a tiny yawn, Tayomi stretched herself. She did not exactly have a very good sleep, tossing and turning throughout the night. She slammed her hands back down onto her bed, tempted to ignore everything and just go back to sleep. However, instead of hitting against the soft, springy bed, her hands smacked something hard. Slowly looking down, she realised that she had smacked Hitsugaya by accident...

_Oh no. He's going to wake up and kill me!_

To her astonishment, Hitsugaya simply turned and continued to sleep. His hair was extremely messy and she knew that she was not the only one who had quite a rough night. Evidently, he had trouble sleeping peacefully as well. The two of them had stayed up to chat through the night, since they were unable to fall asleep. When they finally felt sleepy and decided to keep quiet, it was already two in the morning. Tayomi wondered how she wuld survive a day of harsh training with only four hours of sleep. Running her fingers through her hair with one hand, she used the other hand to gently shake him, hoping he would wake up. As she expected, he was still deep in slumber. She shook her head and laughed, before hopping over him to head to the bathroom and wash up. After that, she hopped back to the bed and stared at Hitsugaya for a moment, before attempting to wake him up.

"Susu-chan... Wake up..." She smiled.

"Hm..."

"Wake up... We have training to do..."

"Sakuri..." He mumbled, still half-asleep. "I want to sleep..."

"WAKE UP!" Tayomi screamed in his ear.

Hitsugaya woke up with a start, nearly rolling off the bed. Tayomi giggled, kissing him on the cheek gently.

"Are you awake now?"

"Yeah..." Hitsugaya smiled. "I think I am."

* * *

Tayomi sat down on the ground of Urahara's underground training facility. She decided that Urahara's facility was quite worth the money after all. The area was huge, with a suitable number of obstacles for combat training. As a Shinigami, they had to able to fight under any conditions, whether the battle field was an open area or an area with all sorts of objects getting in the way. It was a minute to the time their training was to start. Tayomi clicked her tongue as the watch continued ticking. At that moment, all the other Shinigami, along with Orihime, Ishida and Chad came rushing into the facility, practically rolling down the steps of the ladder. Hitsugaya grumbled and huffed, while Tayomi simply laughed and got up. They were almost late and Hitsugaya was about lose his cool. She walked over to him and hugged him from the back, effectively calming him down. He simply shook his head and started the training. Urahara chuckled and Yoruichi grinned as they watched the training take place, sitting on a tall rock, several metres away from where Tayomi was. Running his fingers through his hair, he ordered all the Shinigami to run around the whole of Karakura Town ten times, using Shunpo and without stopping.

"TAICHO!" Matsumoto cried dramatically. "He's MAD!"

"Toushiro..." Ichigo grumbled.

"Don't complain, Ichigo," Yoruichi spoke sternly, with a smirk on her face. "Hitsugaya Taicho managed to do that, while carrying Tayomi Taicho on his back..."

"WHAT?" _Damn, Toushiro is one crazy kid..._

"He did!" Tayomi beamed. "It was FUN! Heh heh... So you all can start now!"

Everyone glanced at one another, wondering what they should do.

"START NOW!" Hitsugaya screamed.

"YES! OKAY! ALRIGHT!"

They all climbed up the ladder and went off on their rounds. Hitsugaya sighed and she ruffled his hair. He looked at her for a moment, before putting his arm around her and resting his head on hers. Tayomi glanced up at him and put her arm around his waist, smiling and assuring him that they would manage to get it done somehow.

Ten minutes later, everyone returned, panting and out of breath. Tayomi smiled and announced that they would be split into two groups and practise Kido with her, or upgrade their combat skills with Hitsugaya. She dragged Rukia, Orihime, Renji and Matsumoto to her side, while the rest of them went to Hitsugaya's side. Renji almost choked due to the shock. He had always been a failure at Kido and now they were about to make him practise it. Shaking his head in despair, he sighed and hoped he would not do too badly. The training facility was divided into half and the two groups began to practise on their own.

Targets had already been lined up against the walls of the cliffs. Turning to face them, Tayomi explained that they had to destroy as many targets as they could within five minutes. For Orihime, she would not use Kido, but use Shun Shun Rikka instead. Orihime smiled and nodded, completely agreeing with the fact that she needed practice with her attacks. Rukia would go first, followed by Matsumoto, Renji and Orihime. Rukia stepped up to the front and began firing Kido spells endlessly, chanting the incantations and destroying target after target. Tayomi smiled, pleased with Rukia's standard. Matsumoto's standard was acceptable, as she was able to fire quite a number of Kido spells without incantation. Renji, as everyone else expected, was not exactly up to standard. Most of the time, his Kido spells backfired and damaged him, instead of the target. The damage Orihime dealt with Shun Shun Rikka was considerable alright, though Tayomi felt there was definitely room for improvement. Orihime suggested that Tayomi try it out as well and she agreed. The four squirmed in excitement as Tayomi began to fire the spells incessantly. The levels got higher and higher, ranging from Hado 31 all the way to 91.

After an hour, they got together again and announced that they would be sparring with one another. Tayomi twirled a strand of her hair round her finger, instantly reminded of her school days with him. The other Shinigami persuaded Tayomi and Hitsugaya to spar against each other, wanting to see a friendly match between two child prodigies. Hitsugaya smirked, telling them that they had intended to do so from the start. However, Tayomi would be using only her Shikai and her Kido, while Hitsugaya would use his Bankai and would not be allowed to use Kido. They smiled at each other, excited to spar with each other after such a long time. The feeling was nothing but nostalgic. He released his Bankai and she released her Shikai, causing a cold and electrifying feeling to surge through everyone's veins. Seeing two Captains fight was a rare opportunity. With their Zanpakutous gripped firmly, they charged towards each other and a deafening crash was heard, as their blades clashed with brute force.

"Susu-chan!" Tayomi squealed.

"Hm." Hitsugaya simply smiled at her.

The rest of them raised their eyebrows as they watched the fight unfold in a strange way. It did not feel like a battle at all. Instead, it felt as if the two of them were playing around with each other. Ichigo was too shocked to speak, as he discovered another side to Hitsugaya which he was never aware about. _Seeing Toushiro being anything but serious... The image and feeling just doesn't feel right at all..._

"Alright, let's get serious." Tayomi smiled, her expression suddenly turning serious. "Hado 33, Sokatsui!"

A huge, blue burst of spiritual energy was fired straight at Hitsugaya. He raised his eyebrows and dodged neatly. Her spell was fired with such power and speed, yet he knew that she was not going all out at him. It was simply terrifying to imagine how strong her Kido would have gotten after all these years. Ever since she was a student, her skill in Kido would have already surpassed an average Shinigami's in the Gotei 13. Judging by her skills, he preferred not to imagine how strong she was not. He sent numerous ice dragons at her and she avoided every single one of them, without a hint of worry or panic on her face. Jumping up and flying towards her, he attempted to aim his blade at her. Tayomi noticed that at quickly raised her arm, using Bakudo 8, Seki, against him. A large round shield was produced near her wrist, protecting her from his sharp blade. Rukia gasped, realising that Tayomi's Bakudo spell was strong enough to defend herself from the blade of the strongest ice-type Zanpakutou. He smirked and used Ryusenka. Not expecting that at all, Tayomi's eyes grew wide, but quickly dodged it. Shaking his head, he quickly swung his blade, using Guncho Tsurara and sending a series of ice daggers at her. Tayomi reacted, swinging her blade as well and using Datsu against him, sending her lightning darts against him. Jumping upwards and with proper aim and precision, she landed smack on Hitsugaya, letting out a tiny giggle.

"You shouldn't be caught off guard in such a situation, don't you think?" She laughed, hugging him as they both fell on the floor.

"Yeah." Hitsugaya nodded. "I shouldn't."

He helped her up and they gazed at each other for a moment, ignoring Matsumoto's squealing and cheering in the background. They shot everyone else a look, hinting to them that they should start sparring with one another. Ichigo managed to take the hint and immediately ran off with Ishida, Renji and Chad. Shaking his head, Hitsugaya sighed. Everything was still the same. They still needed to be prompted to shake their laziness off and start training. Tayomi nodded at him and watched everyone else spar. It certainly felt peaceful, just like a normal day in Soul Society.

* * *

At the end of the day, everyone sat together in a circle, eating dinner at Urahara's shop. Yoruichi had transformed back into a cat and sat on Tayomi's lap. Tayomi stroked her fur and wondered if Yoruichi would lash out at her all of a sudden. Hitsugaya glanced at her, wondering what she was thinking of. He had a feeling that the battle with Aizen was drawing closer by the second. Tayomi looked at him, with the same feeling in her heart. Somehow, she felt, she knew that they would be clashing with the New Espada soon and that it would be a rough battle ahead. A battle that they would hopefully survive. A battle that they would hopefully emerge victorious in. Hitsugaya put his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead. The battle was definitely looming in the shadows.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Yup the battle against the New Espada IS going to start! :D We'll start off with the Fraccion's battle... It will be *chokes* hilarious.  
So next chapter, we shall head back to Soul Society and keep Aizen's Fraccions' hands off our territory! XD  
Sorry this chapter wasn't as nice as other previous chapters, halfway I ran out of possible sttuff that could happen during training T.T  
But the next few chapters is ALL-OUT BATTLE :D  
Hope you all enjoyed the story so far :D Please review! Thanks! ^.^ You can make guesses on which Fraccion will fight who :)


	46. Essence of Battle

**CHAPTER 46: ESSENCE OF BATTLE**

Tayomi moped around the 5th Division's barracks, her heart beating wildly. According to their sources, Aizen was planning to attack them the next day. Even though she had a feeling that he would only be sending over his underlings and would not attack them in person yet, she could not help but worry. Since he had decreased the number of his New Espada, as well as their Fraccion, it would not be much of a baseless assumption to say that the power of The New Espada had heightened drastically. It was likely that they would need at least two people to take on the fourth Espada. Maybe even three, if the situation required it.

Hinamori looked at her Captain, both of them awaiting orders from the 10th Division on where they would stationed at. As the superiors of the Gotei 13, they would definitely be fighting head-on with the Fraccion and the New Espada. Tayomi looked at her hands, feeling a surge of lightning and power surge through her veins. She felt as if a heavy burden had been placed on her shoulders all of a sudden. _The fact that Captain-commander Yamamoto asked me to do this... It shows how grave the situation is. And how I will be a determining factor for our victory in the battle against Aizen. _He had entrusted such an important, crucial task to her. She could not mess up. But before she could even mess up, she had to accomplish it first. Staring at her palm, she knew that she had yet to master it and that she had so little time left to do it. The clock was ticking. Soul Society could not wait. Everything... The final blow would completely depend on her. Everyone's future was now riding on her shoulders and none of them knew that. As much as she hated hiding things from Hitsugaya, the task entrusted to her was confidential and not a single Captain knew about it.

At that moment, a hell butterfly fluttered its wings, landing gently on Tayomi's palm. Listening to the message, Tayomi got up immediately and headed to the chambers of the Central 46, while Hinamori left to protect the South Gate and meet Matsumoto there.

Tayomi arrived at the Seijotokyorin of the Central 46 and spotted Ichigo and Hitsugaya there. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Hitsugaya there. She never felt good hiding anything from him. He smiled at her and waited for her to run forward and hug him, but instead, she simply walked towards him slowly and smiled. Ichigo raised his eyebrow, instantly sensing that something was wrong.

"We were told to wait here by Sou-taicho, right?" She asked, with a severe tone of voice.

"Yeah." Ichigo nodded. "But I don't know why he asked us to guard this area, of all places..."

"One of the members of the New Espada is expected to attack this area." Hitsugaya replied coldly. "As for which one, we'll find out soon enough."

They waited patiently for someone, something to arrive. The Central 46's chambers had been absolutely silent and deserted ever since Aizen massacred the Central 46. No one had dared to wander into the area, believing that it was disrespectful to the dead members of the Central 46. Looking down at her palm again, she could feel a strange wave of power surge through her veins, causing her hand to hurt immensely. It felt as if her palm was burning up. _It must be the effects of the training... Perhaps this feeling will tell me the element of... _All of a sudden, her thoughts were interrupted as a hell butterfly landed on her shoulder.

"Shuu-kun and Kira-kun... Their battle just began." Tayomi muttered in shock.

* * *

Hisagi and Kira stood side by side, glaring at their opponents. Their opponents seemed very familiar, looking exactly like the two Arrancar they fought at Fake Karakura Town, at the four pillars. One of them had long blonde hair and wore purple eyeliner, his hollow mask covering one of his eyes like a mask. As for the other Arrancar, he had a larger build with all sorts of red-coloured tattoos covering his arms and his forehead, his hollow mask wrapped around his neck, with one section protruding outwards like a beak. Standing at the entrance of the West Gate stood their opponents, who were smirking right at them. Hisagi cringed when he recounted his battle and Kira simply frowned. It seemed that Aizen had managed to revive their opponents somehow, but something was weird. They possessed identical appearances to their past foes... However, the markings on their bodies and the hollow masks had slight differences in them. Kira was convinced that these Arrancar were different from the ones they fought previously and Hisagi seemed to share the same thoughts too.

"GRAGHHHHHH!" The bulky Arrancar roared dramatically. "I, ARANA REDDER ,WILL WIN! WIN! WIN! AND BEAT THE IDIOTS BEFORE ME!"

"Hm." The blonde Arrancar smirked. "How uncivilised. Greetings, pathetic Shinigami. Please do me a favour and remember that it is I, Finner Carias, who put an end to your miserable existence."

Hisagi and Kira gripped their Zanpakutous tightly and unsheathed it. Arana was clearly the more hasty one, as he went in to Ressurrecion immediately, transforming into a hawk with a fiery red beak and red wings. Finner simply smirked again and prepared to shoot a Cero, which was fired with precision, speed and power. Kira narrowly dodged the stream of flames shooting out from Arana's beak and Hisagi managed to avoid the purple Cero that had been blasted at him. Taking a deep breath and trying to calm down, he gripped his arm, attempting to stop his newly-inflicted wound from bleeding. He instantly realised the arrogant look on Finner's face and the fact that he and Kira had been separated. He pulled himself together and rose to his feet.

_I hope the others are having a better time..._

* * *

In the Underground Assembly Hall of the Central 46, Soi Fon stood waiting behind the door, anticipating the arrival of her opponents. She wondered who her opponent would be and which member of the New Espada she would be pitted against. Rolling her eyes, she spotted Shunsui lazing around in a corner of the hall, while Kenpachi stood right in front of the door, an evil grin wiped all over his face as he imagined the fun he would have with his opponent. Soi Fon grumbled, wondering how Captain-commander Yamamoto distributed the manpower of the Captains. Being stuck with two other Captains was alright with her, but being stuck with Kenpachi and Shunsui was just intolerable for her. It was beyond disastrous, in her opinion. She was stuck with a killing fanatic and a lazy bum. Things could not get any better than that.

Kenpachi turned his head left and right wildly, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his opponent. He licked his lips, unable to contain his excitement for the bloody battle in store for him. He tightened his grip on his Zanpakutou, happily anticipating the time when he would swing his blade with brute force and slice into the tough hierro of his opponent. As for Shunsui, he leaned his weight against the wall in a corner of the Assembly Hall, wondering when his opponent would show up. Sighing and lowering his straw hat such that it covered his eyes, he yawned and patiently waited of the New Espada to make his appearance.

* * *

Hitsugaya noticed that Tayomi was unusually silent and strangely cold towards him. He knew something was wrong. He felt like asking her about it, but he was on duty. There was no possibility of 'slacking off' and settling his personal problems during his work. However, she seemed so distracted... It might potentially affect her performance in combat and harm her in the process. He had to thrash things out with her. He simply had to. Tayomi glanced at him from the corner of her eye, fully aware that Hitsugaya was about to do something reckless.

"What's wrong?" He asked her coldly.

Tayomi looked up at him with innocent eyes and shook her head.

"No, it's not fine." He grabbed her hand tightly, his turquoise eyes burning into her purplish-blue eyes. "Something's wrong. You can't hide it from me."

"Nothing's wrong!" Tayomi retorted, trying to avoid his gaze.

Hitsugaya was sure that she was hiding something in her heart. Since she was unwilling to tell him, perhaps she preferred to keep it a secret. This time, he simply pulled her close to him and held her tight. Tayomi was a little shocked by his sudden gesture, but felt a lot less uneasy in his arms. She was tempted to tell him everything, but she knew she could not. Captain-commander Yamamoto had clearly told her that it was private and confidential and that she was not allowed disclose a single piece of information about it. She could not tell him. Sighing, she buried her face in his chest, trying to calm herself down. _Concentrate on the battle. CONCENTRATE. _Ichigo felt like a lamp post standing there, watching to two Captains. He blinked twice before Tayomi and Hitsugaya noticed his presence. They drew back abruptly, blushing madly.

* * *

Hisagi contemplated releasing his Zanpakutou, but decided against it. He had to use it as a last resort. Going all out at your opponent from the beginning of the battle was never a wise thing to do. Kira knew that he should save Wabisuke for later and decided to get to know his opponent better before unleashing his full power on his opponent. Arana flapped his heavy wings impatiently, waiting for his opponents to make their first move on him. As for Finner, he smirked once again and prepared to unsheathe his Zanpakutou.

"Well, Shinigami." Arana cackled. "What did we tell you? I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

"Exacta." Finner spoke calmly.

Hisagi gritted his teeth. He waited for his opponents to make their next move, hoping to observe a pattern in their attacks. Glancing at Kira, his friend had the same amount of determination he had. Kira shot a look at Hisagi, wondering what their next move would be. Staying separated was not exactly the best plan. Somehow, they had to position themselves next to each other again, so that they could battle the two Fraccion together. One way or another, they would emerge from this battle victorious. They would never let Aizen's forces overwhelm them. Never.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY Battle has started! Initially, I wanted to start with Yumichika and Ikkaku's fight, but decided to save it for later :D  
I may not update as quickly because my exams are drawing closer than ever T.T  
Next chapter, battle continues XD  
Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter ^.^ Please review!


	47. Outsmarted

**CHAPTER 47: OUTSMARTED**

Kira noticed that he was at least ten metres away from Hisagi. Coming face to face with a grinning Arana, he knew that his opponent would do anything but go easy on him. In such a situation, he would have preferred to fight alongside Hisagi and face the two Fraccion together, but it seemed as if fate had decreed otherwise. The tip of Arana's feathers began to sprout a collection of strange red objects, causing Kira to wonder what it was. The unknown, pointed objects began to glow and shot straight out at Kira. His eyes widened and he hastily dodged the spike like objects. Unfortunately, one of them was stuck on his arm. Kira began to panic a little, wondering what that strange spike-like object could do. He looked up to see Arana grin and snap his fingers. Just then, the object created a burning sensation, burning through his Shinigami robes and it extended itself, thrusting itself through his arm. Kira shrieked in pain as the spike dug through his flesh, mercilessly and incessantly.

"HAHA!" Arana cackled. "Feel my wrath, pathetic Shinigami!"

Gripping his left arm, Kira watched as his blood poured from his wound. Trying to ignore the excruciating pain, he looked up and faced the Fraccion bravely.

"Hadou 58, Tenran!"

A huge tornado emerged from Kira's palm, rushing right for Arana.

Hisagi looked away from Kira, knowing that he had to focus on his own battle. Finner was smiling at him, before quickly disappearing into thin air and aiming his blade at Hisagi's chest. Hisagi quickly defended himself from Finner's blade, using his palm to resist his opponent's offensive advance. He was determined to stay alive. Everyone was fighting with all their might now and as a Lieutenant, there was no way he would allow himself to fall without putting up a real struggle. He could not disappoint his colleagues. He could no disappoint the Captains. He could not disappoint Tayomi. He placed his palm in Finner's face and used Hado 31, Shakkaho against him. A blast of crimson energy was directed right in Finner's face and Hisagi quickly coupled it with Bakudou 4, Hainawa. The dust cleared and Finner stood there, tied up in the yellow energy rope. However, he did not seem to have taken as much damage as Hisagi would have liked, as blood dripped from a wound on Finner's cheek. Taking advantage of the chance, Hisagi quickly slashed at Finner, before he broke out of the energy rope.

* * *

Night was coming on rather quickly as the sky darkened and the moon rose. They had been at their stations since evening and other than Kira and Hisagi, none of the other Lieutenants and Captains seemed to be engaged in battle. Tayomi yawned, noticing that it was midnight. Hitsugaya glanced at her and sighed. Ichigo quickly decided to break the awkward silence.

"Um... Maybe we should take shifts and take turns to guard the area? Then if the enemy comes, we'll wake everyone else up."

"Alright." Hitsugaya nodded. "I'll go first."

"No. I'll go first!" Tayomi eagerly volunteered.

"I'm going first, Tayomi."

"Susu-chan, I'm going first!"

"No."

"YES!"

"No."

"YES!"

"Tayomi..."

"Rock paper scissors!"

"Ha."

"I lost... No! It can't be..."

"Alright. Tayomi, go and sleep. You're obviously tired."

Tayomi pouted and glared at him. Hitsugaya hugged her and kissed her on the forehead. He stroked her long black hair and tightened his grip around her, before looking down into her eyes.

"Just go..."

She looked up into his turquoise eyes and nodded slowly, before kissing him back.

"Fine." She replied, sounding slightly stubborn and reluctant.

She walked off silently into a corner and rested her head against the wall. Hitsugaya shot Ichigo a look, trying to tell Ichigo to protect her. Ichigo seemed to understand it and nodded at the young Captain, before walking off to join Tayomi.

* * *

Hinamori met Matsumoto and another green-haired girl at the South Gate. Just as she was about to ask the girl for her name, she identified herself as Mashiro Kuna, one of the Vizards. Hinamori smiled at her sweetly and Matsumoto threw an arm around the Mashiro's neck, as a gesture of friendship. Mashiro seemed fine with it and smiled back at them. Suddenly, their brief moment of peace was interrupted by a loud rumble. The ground began to shake a loud crash was heard. From the smoke, emerged three figures. One had his eyes too far apart and wore a strange smile on his face, having a hollow mask pointing upwards, like the snout of a shark. The female Arrancar was dressed scantily, with her hollow mask covering her right eye, shaped like a flower. The last Arrancar had jet black hair and golden eyes, his hollow mask resting on top of his head, covered in spikes. They were clearly enemies from Aizen's army.

Matsumoto got ready to unsheathe her Zanpakutou and release Haineko. Hinamori was all prepared to release Tobiume. As for Mashiro, she was just about to put on her hollow mask. Nothing much needed to be said. Both parties were more than ready for combat. Mashiro giggled and put on her hollow mask, before charging forward to land a kick on the dark-haired Arrancar.

"MASHIRO SUPER KICK!"

The dark-haired Arrancar yelped in pain as Mashiro hit him square on his head. Suddenly, he grinned and swung his fist at her. Mashiro leapt back with agility, perfectly avoiding that hit. The female Arrancar charged at Hinamori and sneakily took out her dagger-like Zanpakutou, attempting to slash Hinamori. She quickly dodged it and gasped. _What a violent girl... _The last Arrancar, with his Arrancar mask pointed like the snout of a shark, rushed towards Matsumoto. Matsumoto hurriedly unsheathed her Zanpakutou and defended herself from his attack.

"Who are you three?" Matsumoto asked.

"Gee-Roy Linker." The Arrancar replied.

"Lolee Airvirnne." The female Arrancar snapped.

"Dio Vega." The dark-haired Arrancar smirked. "You don't need to remember this name, since neither of you will be able to remember a thing after this fight. Dead people don't have memories."

"We'll see about that." Matsumoto grinned.

_

* * *

_

I have to find some way to distract Arana. Then I can reunite with Hisagi and we can back each other up.

Kira thought hard as he came face to face with Arana, his arm still throbbing from the spike that stabbed his flesh. Arana had seemed to get the impression that Kira was vulnerable, as he continued to shoot the spikes at him, complacently assuming that most of them would hit Kira. His opponent was awfully stuck-up and that fact could not be clearer to Kira. Complacency was probably Arana's biggest failing and Kira knew he had to take advantage of that fatal flaw. He remembered the priceless words from his Shinigami days, before his promotion. _Never be complacent and take your enemy for granted... He can spring an attack on you anytime. Don't let him catch you off guard and catch HIM off guard instead!_ Kira knew he had to get out of his predicament first and somehow make his way back to Hisagi. Hisagi seemed to be having a little bit of trouble with his opponent and he appeared reluctant to release his Zanpakutou. Sighing, Kira knew he had to distract Arana and bridge the distance between his friend and him. Just then, he had a brainwave. Maybe if he could physically push Arana towards Hisagi..?

"Hado 1, Sho!"

The spell pushed Arana towards Finner a little. Arana was bulky and large, the spell merely made him shift a little. Creasing his forehead, Kira went for a higher level spell and used Hado 33, Soren Sokatsui, using the force from the massive blue blast to push Arana further. Arana smirked as he did not receive much damage, obviously not noticing that he was shifting closer and closer to Finner. Kira was stern and serious on the outside, but trying hard and silently rejoicing in the inside as he continued to hope that his little ploy would succeed. Hisagi seemed to notice what Kira was doing, but decided against doing the same thing. Finner was probably sharp enough to notice his plans behind every move. He pretended to be oblivious to what was going on over in Kira's mind and continued to slash at Finner, randomly casting Kidou spells to defend himself.

_Yes, they're close enough now!_

Kira was overjoyed inside, glad that his prediction was true. Now, the only thing left to do was to overpower the two Fraccion, along with Hisagi. Hisagi's eyes lit up all of a sudden, his frown turning into a slight smirk.

"Reap, Kazeshini."

He threw one of his chains off, aiming it straight for both of the surprised Fraccions' faces. It exploded, creating a massive explosion, blinding their sight with the great amount of smoke. The smoke dissipated and the two confused opponents regained their clear view, a clear view of Hisagi's new blade before their very eyes. Hisagi's single blade had transformed into two huge, black scythes, connected by a black chain. Kira had released Wabisuke as well, with his blade transforming into an odd shape. Arana laughed, thinking that there was no way Kira could defeat him with such a strange looking blade. Kira's resolve strengthened and he nodded at Hisagi. Their next move would be absolutely risky and they desperately hoped it would work as well as they wanted it to be.

* * *

Just then, the ground began to rumble. Shunsui looked up for once, Soi Fon's eyes widened and Kenpachi was no longer to contain his excitement.

"YEAH!" Kenpachi screamed and cackled in anticipation.

Soi Fon simply rolled her eyes as Kenpachi went into a maniacal state of laughter and Shunsui finally woke up from his nap, slowly making his way towards her at a snail's pace. A deafening explosion was heard and all three Captains cringed as the noise blasted into their eardrums. Soi Fon looked up and in the doorway of the Underground Assembly Hall, stood a lady with long blue hair. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she wore a white dress, with a black stripe around her turtle-necked collar. _It's the New Espada. _She had sharp, bright green eyes and a sneaky, sarcastic smile. She licked her lips and clicked her tongue. Soi Fon was ready to release Suzumebachi and beat up that Espada. Shunsui sighed and shook his head, slowly and steadily placing his hand on the hilt of his wakizashi. Kenpachi was too excited and already a step ahead of him, as his Zanpakutou was already unsheathed and all ready to slice into the flesh of his opponent.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**WHEEEE All the battles are getting started! :D Battle spam! Haha I'm so excited for the upcoming battles, I hope you are too.  
My exams begin on the 7th October and end on the 15th October T.T Within this time period, I won't be uploading any new chapters. But once 15th october is over, I'll definitely be back to upload more chapters and continue this story, so keep an eye out for the new chapters! XD  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	48. A Heavy Risk

**CHAPTER 48: A HEAVY RISK**

Hitsugaya stared out at the entrance to the Seijotokyorin, anticipating the enemy's entrance into the venue. His forehead creased, as his heart began to beat faster, just like the footsteps of the approaching battle. Bloodshed, screams, pain... They had grown much too familiar to him. Experiencing it himself was one thing, but seeing someone else take it was so different, especially if it was her. Even though he was in the same room as her, he could not help but worry about her safety. He clenched his fists, determined to protect her at all costs. Suddenly, he felt something wrap around his waist slowly but surely. It felt warm, melting his soul almost immediately. He instantly knew who it was and could not hide his smile.

"You're supposed to be asleep, you idiot."

Tayomi looked up at him, shook her head and laughed. Somehow, her laugh seemed more serious and restrained than it usually was. He knew that she was nervous but just refused to admit it. Sighing, he subconsciously began playing with her delicate fingers. Her presence made him feel a lot at ease, made him feel less alone.

"Don't you feel it?" She asked him calmly, subconsciously tightening her grip on his waist and tiptoeing, such that she was able to rest her chin on his shoulder.

"Hm?" He blinked twice. "Feel what?"

"That strange reiatsu."

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, trying to sense what she felt.

"Yeah. It's coming closer."

Ichigo seemed to have sensed it too, as he stood up and began to stare at the door. He slowly undid the bandages around Zangetsu, all ready to unleash his Bankai. Hitsugaya glanced at her with a sort of worried look in the depths of his turquoise eyes. Tayomi smiled back at him, kissing him gently on the lips.

"I'll be okay..." She assured him.

"You will..." Hitsugaya faced the entrance of the Seijotokyorin and stood in front of her, unsheathing his Zanpakutou. "Because I'll be there to protect you... Every step of the way."

* * *

Hisagi and Kira nodded at each other. They were about to take the riskiest step they had ever taken in battle. Usually, they would have strongly gone against the idea of taking risks in battle, but in this case, they simply had to give it a go. Their knowledge of their own power and their Zanpakutous could partially assure them that their plan would be a success, yet it partially discouraged them as it could end in a failure as well. Hoping for the best, they shot each other a look and started. Kira placed his palm against Wabisuke and used Hado 11, Tsuzuri Raiden, on it, enveloping his blade in lightning. Hisagi did the same thing to Kazeshini, watching the bolts of lightning travel along the black chains onto the two scythes. Kira moved quickly and Hisagi prepared himself, as Kira swung Wabisuke and let it clash against the two scythes twice. Hisagi tried not to cringe, as the weight of his weapon became four times heavier. Though its weight had increased drastically, he believed he could carry it off, with resolve burning in his eyes. Adjusting and determining the angle in which he needed to swing the two scythes in with speed, he quickly waved his arms violently, sending the two huge black scythes flying downwards, straight at Arana and Finner. With its increased speed and power, Finner and Arana were clearly taken aback as they watched themselves be pierced in the gut by the blades of the scythes.

"How can this..."

"You should be smart enough to figure it out yourself, Arrancar." Hisagi replied coldly.

"Increased weight being thrown with greater force... It brings about greater power and speed. With that, we were able to catch you both unguarded." Kira nodded.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Arana screamed. "HOW CAN YOUR BLADE'S WEIGHT INCREASE?"

"My Zanpakutou, Wabisuke, doubles the weight of anything it touches... I touched Hisagi's scythes twice, multiplying the weight of his scythes by four. Since you both are closer to the ground than us, this also increases the weight of his scythes further, as gravity helps pull his scythes towards you with increased weight..."

Hisagi pulled out the two scythes from the Arrancars' bodies, by simply jerking his arm backwards. He allowed his Zanpakutou to return to its unreleased form and sighed, while he watched blood fly out from the wounds sustained by Finner and Arana. The two Arrancar's groaned in pain, but still appeared unwilling to give up. With despair in his eyes and a frown on his face, Kira raised his palm and used Hado 54, Haien, against both Finner and Arana, effectively finishing them off. Finner smirked and closed his eyes, with sacarsm still present in his features. Arana was clearly full of anger and disbelief as he attempted to rise to his feet, but failed miserably. With curses and vulgarities hanging on the edge of his tongue, his life force faded, with discontent still in his hardened heart. Kira shook his head sadly and sighed, before looking up at Hisagi.

"Holding onto something you can never have... Only brings despair." Kira spoke softly and looked back down at his slain opponents.

"Yeah. It really... Brings nothing but despair." Hisagi sighed and looked up. "What shall we do now?"

"Captain Hitsugaya said we should survey the area and keep our eyes open. If there's a need to, we'll lend aid in battle and help our fellow Shinigami."

"Alright. Let's stay in this area, just in case another Arrancar decides to sneak in on Soul Society."

Kira nodded at Hisagi and the two kept their eyes wide open, sensitive to any approaching enemies.

* * *

Tayomi watched a tall man approach them. He had unusually pale skin, long black hair reaching up to his shoulders and deep green eyes. _His hair has grown longer... _Tayomi instantly recognised him. It was the Primera New Espada, Viquierra Cifer. She gulped, but continued to show no fear on her face. Instead, she simply tightened her grip on Hitsugaya's hand, interlocking her fingers with his. He felt her squeeze his hand and glanced at her, feeling her fear. Squeezing her hand back, they let go of each other's hand and raised their Zanpakutou, along with Ichigo.

"BANKAI!" Ichigo shouted. "TENSA ZANGETSU!"

Tayomi raised her eyebrow. It was just like Ichigo to release his Bankai so easily, even before getting to know the enemy. However, his actions were completely understandable. With the New Espada having greater strength and powers than their predecessors, a Bankai would be greatly needed. The battle could end up with all three of them releasing their Bankai. However, both Hitsugaya and Tayomi had decided against immediately releasing their Bankai, lest they run out of energy to retain their Bankai. Suddenly, Tayomi realised that Viquierra had yet to unsheathe his Zanpakutou. She held back from releasing Inazuma Kaze, unaware that Hitsugaya had already released Hyorinmaru. _Viquierra seems to be holding back... Maybe it would be better if we held our fire too. _Tayomi was hesitant in releasing her Zanpakutou. She did not know why herself, but she could feel a sense of desperation and loneliness in Viquierra's eyes, just like the sense of emptiness that Ichigo claimed was present in Ulquiorra's eyes. It was that quality that held her back and made her all the more reluctant to attack the man who was supposed to be her enemy. Unlike Aizen, she knew that Viquierra could not possibly be completely evil and immoral. Behind that emotionless expression, there had to be something... Something he hid deep in his beating heart.

"The weakness in your heart will lead to your ruin."

Tayomi's eyes shot wide open as she felt something pierce through her stomach. She heard Hitsugaya scream and Ichigo gasp and her hand subconsciously touched the area where she had been stabbed, staining her palms with her own blood. _It's way too early in the battle... I can't let myself fall like this! _Ichigo charged forward at Viquierra, sending Getsuga Tenshou flying at the Primera New Espada. Viquierra showed no sense of urgency and simply sent a pale green cero flying, countering Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou. The black wave of energy and the pale green blast tackled each other fiercely, engaging in a violent struggle as it tried to overpower the opposing force. Hitsugaya ran to catch Tayomi while Ichigo fought with Viquierra.

"Tayomi... " He whispered into her ear.

"You idiot... I'm... still... alive..." She gasped. "Put... me... down..."

"But you're bleeding!"

"I'll be fine. Put me down, or else I'm going to push you away." She tried to laugh and smile at him.

Hesitantly, Hitsugaya obeyed her. Tayomi forced herself up to her feet. Her physical durability had definitely increased, given the amount of training and physical wear and tear that she had put herself through. Blood was still pouring out of her wounds, but she decided to worry about it later. There was no way she could go down before Viquierra. She still had people, places and friends to protect. Releasing Inazuma Kaze, she faced Viquierra bravely. He raised an eyebrow, not expecting his victim to recover from such an injury, fully expecting her to lie on the ground motionless. She gripped her Zanpakutou. The more he wanted her to fall, the more she could not allow herself to fail in her duty. Gritting her teeth and doing her best to ignore the excruciating pain from her injuries, she raised her Zanpakutou and pointed it at Viquierra.

"And you were talking about the weakness in my heart?" She replied.

_Tayomi... Don't push yourself too hard... _With her injured, he decided to release his Bankai instantly. Tayomi could somewhat sense that both Ichigo and Hitsugaya felt that they would have to fight a lot harder, in order to protect her and defeat Viquierra. Not allowing herself to become a burden, she decided to be extremely careful in this battle and work out a solution to defeat her enemy. But of course, before she could come up with a solution, she had to know her opponent well enough...

"Bakudo 63, Sajo Subaku!"

A chain of yellow ropes bound Viquierra's arms together. Tayomi raised her hand again, hoping that that would keep Viquierra in his place long enough for her to land a hit on him.

"Hado 91, Senju Koten Taiho!"

The spears of light headed straight for Viquierra, creating a massive explosion. The three Shinigami covered their eyes and waited for the dust to clear. To their horror, not only had Viquierra managed to break out of the chain, he had also escaped in time and was merely scratched by her spell. Like her usual self, she showed no shock, no emotion whatsoever to Viquierra. If he could be expressionless, she could be expressionless as well. Remembering what her own Zanpakutou had taught her while she trained in her inner world for her Bankai, she knew that she had to stay calm. No Arrancar, even the Primera New Espada, could be perfect. Somehow, Viquierra had a weakness, a fatal flaw... And she was going to find it no matter what.

"Too slow, Shinigami."

Just as Viquierra was about to land a strike on her, Tayomi quickly reacted and raised her Zanpakutou, blocking his newly unsheathed blade.

"What was slow?" She smiled.

Forcefully pushing her blade against his, she sent Viquierra flying backwards. He landed on his feet perfectly and stared at the young Captain.

"If you expected me to roll around on the floor and scream in pain due to my injuries... Then you've got it all wrong. You've really got it all wrong."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Sorry I took so long for this update T.T School...  
My exams will be over by Friday YAY :D Then I'll be back to updating more often and I'll be watching more anime, and reading more manga as well XD  
I might be starting some new FanFics too. I intend to collaborate with one of my friends to write a FanFiction and then as for projects of my own... I'm considering writing a pure humour FanFic. I might do other animes as well (Hitman Reborn would be one of them!)  
I'm also considering writing a prelude to 'Bleach: School Days & Frostbitten Lightning', because I just realised that we know quite a bit about each Shinigami's past, but I never really explained Tayomi's past, her family and her relationship with Hisagi XD But of course the main focus will still be on this FanFic and the third part to this story...  
YES, this story IS going to have a 3rd PART. The 3rd part will be shorter than this and will also be the concluding part to the whole Frostbitten Lightning saga. I sort of already planned out the ending ^.^  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! Thanks :D


	49. Allout War and Nothing Less!

**CHAPTER 49: ALL-OUT WAR AND NOTHING LESS!**

"I'm still waiting for the day... When I can poke your bastard of a leader... Aizen... Straight in his eyes... Kill him for hurting my friends..." Tayomi snickered. "Until then... I won't allow myself to die... I'll have to shove you out of the way... Viquierra Cifer."

Hitsugaya raised his eyebrow. He definitely never expected her to say that, but he understood her sentiments. However, that did not help much. He was still worrying. In fact, he was afraid that there was no way he could stop doing so, as he watched her blood seep through her white haori, creating a bloody red stain. Tayomi was pushing herself even harder than usual and he was not sure how long she could hold up. Even though her injury was not fatal, a stab in the gut was not easy to deal with. If she pushed herself to hard, she would be likely to end up losing her life. That was the thing he feared most. He could not lose her. Losing her was equivalent to having his own life taken away from him. After thinking it through briefly, he reached out his hand and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. She shot a shocked look at him and he shot a serious expression back at her. He shook his head and squeezed her hand.

"Don't push yourself. Let Kurosaki and me handle this. We'll be fine." He persuaded her.

"This is my battle too..." Tayomi stubbornly rebuked him. "I want to fight too. And I will!"

"TAYOMI!" Hitsugaya screamed at her. "YOU..."

"HITSUGAYA TAICHO!" She screamed back at him.

Hitsugaya was taken aback. Whenever she called him by his official title, it was either for sacarsm or it meant that she was furious. Looking at the fire burning in her eyes, he instantly cancelled out the possibility of sacarsm. She was angry. Angry enough to raise her voice back at him, which she rarely did.

"I..." She patted him on the head. "Sorry. I didn't want to shout at you like that but... I have to fight. I really have to. And you can't stop me. I promise I won't die... It won't be like what happened fifty years ago. I won't die so easily. I'll come back to you for sure."

With tears slowly dripping down his cheeks, he loosened his grip on her hand. _I guess I have to think about her feelings... Now I have to protect her more than ever. I won't give Viquierra a chance to touch her. _He pulled her in close to him for a quick hug, before the both of them rushed off to give Ichigo a hand and continue their battle with the Primera New Espada.

* * *

Soi Fon tried hard to keep her cool as her crazy comrades prepared for battle. One looked way too hyped up and the other looked as if he would be better off sleeping in a corner. _They obviously aren't going to take this seriously, are they? Looks like I'm on my own... _Releasing Suzumebachi, she charged towards the Espada without hesitation, determined to end the battle as quickly as possible. The Espada simply used her hand to grab Soi Fon's arm, shocking her completely.

"Geneva Jacquerain, Tres New Espada, pleased to meet you." Geneva smirked, before throwing Soi Fon backwards.

Landing perfectly on her feet, Soi Fon let out a snicker.

"2nd Division Captain, Captain of the Omnitsukido, Soi Fon."

Suddenly, Geneva sensed something coming from behind her and grabbed the unknown object coming towards her. She turned behind to see Shunsui shaking his head and laughing, before quickly using Sonido to avoid the incoming attack from Kenpachi. _What a group of cheap fighters. I'll teach them a lesson for sure. _Geneva fired a bright blue Cero right at the three of them, sure that they were caught in her immense blast of power. When the dust cleared, she noticed that all three of them had managed to avoid taking the full force of her Cero. Slightly shocked but unwilling to let it go so easily, she continuously fired a series of Ceros, all of which Soi Fon dodged neatly. Shunsui avoided them as well and Kenpachi narrowly missed it. Realising that it was not such a good idea to use her Cero against them, Geneva began silently thinking of a ploy that could get all three of them caught in her Cero and allow the Shinigami to suffer the wrath of her anger.

"Pantera Suprema."

Geneva transformed into a panther, with her lightning blue hair still intact. Her body was covered in white hollow bones and her arm transformed into a huge, gun-like object. Soi Fon's eyes widened. She never knew that Ressurrecions could look like that and even include armed machinery. It appeared that this New Espada had a fiery temper, judging by the fact that she released so early, after firing the few Ceros that failed to hit her. Her fiery temper... There was some way that it could be turned against that New Espada, couldn't it? Soi Fon did not intend to use her Bankai on such a foul-tempered enemy and she was determined not to.

Shunsui sighed. This opponent was exceedingly fast, especially in firing Ceros. The Ceros were rather huge as well, but inside, he wondered if the power of the Cero matched its strength. It would be risky to try out its strength using his own body, but he needed to understand his opponent's strength. Why was Geneva so stubborn, stubborn enough to stick to using Ceros against them? There had to be a reason for it. Shunsui could only come up with two possibilities: Ceros were Geneva's strength, or they were the fastest attacks she could pull off. It was rare to see a hollow so determined to use Ceros against their opponent, even more so in an Espada. Still keeping his heart in the battle, Shunsui dodged another Cero from Geneva, wondering if his opponent had any more tricks in the bag. Observing the ground, he noticed the depth of the depression caused by the Cero from Geneva. It was relatively deep. It would be rather safe to assume that Ceros were her strength then, since it could be fired with so much speed and power.

Kenpachi had only a single thought in his mind, as he lashed out at his opponent.

_KILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!_

* * *

Once again, Tayomi forced herself to her feet, after being knocked backwards by Viquierra. Viquierra had fired a series of Ceros and used Sonido to dash towards them, trying to catch them off guard. With her injuries, it was rather hard to keep her eyes open and remain conscious already. She forced herself to focus, aware of the weight of her responsibilities hanging on her shoulders, as well as the lives of her comrades. It was not advisable to use her Bankai when she was in such a state, yet she had begun to contemplate taking a chance on herself and wondered if she should release her Bankai anyway. Glancing at her, Hitsugaya was considering something as well. He hated to do this to her, but at the same time, he knew that he had to do it. There was no way he could let her push herself and endanger her life any longer. Quickly using Shunpo and getting behind her, he managed to catch her off guard and slammed his hand against her acupoints, effectively knocking her out. He picked her up and left her lying in a corner of the Seijotokyorin, away from the core of the battle. _I'm sorry, Tayomi... But I had to..._

"Kurosaki! Let's end this battle!" Hitsugaya shouted to Ichigo.

Ichigo nodded.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

Viquierra responded with another huge Cero and the two sides watched the black burst of energy and pale green burst of energy fight each other, desperate to outdo each other. Viquierra's blank expression remained on his face, as he watched his Cero overpower Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou, blasting both Hitsugaya and Ichigo straight in the face. The two were sent flying backwards at an unbelievably high speed, as they crashed against numerous pillars, before creating a deep depression on the wall. The rubble slowly rolled down the side of the wall and Hitsugaya cringed. He was definitely aware that a few bones in his body had been broken. Forcing himself up, he took a quick look at Tayomi to make sure that the impact of Viquierra's Cero had not affected her. Gripping the hilt of his Zanpakutou, he charged forward at his opponent recklessly.

"RYUNSENKA!"

He aimed his blade for Viquierra's chest, but missed. He watched the ice flower sprout in midair, without encasing his opponent in it. Gritting his teeth, he refused to give up. He would land a hit on his opponent. He definitely would, after what he had done to Tayomi. Ichigo dashed towards Viqueirra and attempted to cut him down. To his joy, he managed to slash Viquierra once and watched as blood spurted out of Viquierra's arm.

"I might not have the ability to regenerate like Ulquiorra, but it's not like I'll need this arm to defeat you." He spoke coldly.

Hitsugaya and Ichigo watched in shock as Viquierra unsheathed his blade and slashed off his own arm. It did not regenerate, but he began to glow pale green. His reiatsu grew significantly stronger and the ground rumbled with great force, as if an earthquake was taking place. _I see... He doesn't mind losing his body parts to increase his power. _Hitsugaya was not deterred by this and charged forward again, only to see Viquierra disappear out of his sight. Suddenly, he noticed Viquierra appear behind him, all ready to slice into his flesh.

_Damn it..._

Just when Viquierra's blade was about to slice into his flesh, a rectangular barrier activated and the purple bolts of energy glared into Viquierra's emotionless eyes. The purple bolts of energy escaped out of the barrier and surrounded Viquierra, before it self-destructed with him in it. Blood dripped out of his injuries, which covered his arm, chest and cheek. Hitsugaya was taken aback, as well as Ichigo. Neither of them had any idea who could have done so. Combining two high-level Hado and Bakudo spells to create such a devastating effect was the mark of a true Kido master.

"Danku...Hitsugi*..." A weak voice spoke.

Both of them turned behind to see who it was. Hitsugaya experienced the most shocking moment of his life, as he saw Tayomi forcing a smile onto her face, smiling at the both of them. Clearly, she was semi-conscious. Her eyes were barely open and she struggled to speak even a few words. And then again, she was the only person that could pull off such spells with incredible destructive power, despite being greatly weakened by her injuries. Letting his emotions overwhelm him during battle for the very first time, Hitsugaya instantly rushed to her, his heart filled with nothing but worry.

"Tayomi... You idiot..." He could feel himself tearing as her blood continued to pour out of her wounds, forming a huge red pool of blood on the ground. "Why did you..."

"I don't...care..." She shook her head, still lying on the ground in her pool of blood. "I just... find it important to protect... you... and keep... you alive at... all costs..."

"YOU IDIOT." He sobbed as he cradled her in his arms. "Why are you so stupid? Using the little energy left in you to protect me..."

"You idiot... Stop calling me... an idiot." She snapped back. "Get back there... and fight..."

"But I just..." He pulled her in towards him and kissed her on her lips. "I couldn't protect you."

"I'm not dead... And I won't be... Something like this... won't kill me... Don't cry..." Tayomi smiled and wiped the tears that clouded his beautiful turquoise eyes. "Now go... I'll be alright..."

"BUT..."

"Do you... want me to waste... my energy... by pushing you... back in there?"

Hitsugaya put her down slowly and reluctantly, before rushing back into the heart of the battle. Tayomi turned onto her side so that she could watch the battle unfold before her and lend them her aid whenever she could. Whether or not she could move, this was her fight. The least she could do now is guard them and that was what she would do. _Susu-chan... Ichigo... I'll be guarding you both. Now, defeat Viquierra... For the sake of Soul Society!_

* * *

**TRANSLATIONS:  
***Danku Hitsugi: Splitting Void Coffin (Combination of Bakudo 81, Danku, and Hado 90, Kurohitsugi)

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Sorry this took kinda long! Battle scenes aren't exactly the easiest things to write... I still had to decide the direction of the battles, which battles to include. In short, there was a lot of backstage planning XD  
Next chapter will be the 50th chapter! :D YAY! And to celebrate, we shall take off the seriousness for a while and have a filler XD  
I'll try and make it as funny and interesting as possible, so it can balance the severity and hardcore battles to come ^.^  
We'll get more fluff from Tayomi and Hitsugaya, yay :D  
Speaking of Hitsugaya, I couldn't bear to watch Bleach episode 293... T.T  
I hope you all liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks! :D


	50. Sand, Surf, Sun!

**CHAPTER 50: SAND, SURF, SUN!**

The sun hung high up in the clear blue sky, gleaming brightly at the Shinigami down below. After having their pool destroyed by Byakuya again, the Shinigami Women's Association decided to relax at the beach. Inviting their colleagues and friends, dragging some of them along, the seated Shinigami looked up at the sky, glad to take their time off work to relax. The sand was rather warm, after absorbing some heat from the sun. The blue sea waters sparkled under the sunlight and looked clearer than ever.

"Nemu didn't succeed in building a pool that could counter Kuchiki Taicho's attacks..." Nanao shook her head in disappointment. "Thus we are here again..."

"Ah Nanao! But it's not like you have anything to show off..." Matsumoto nudged her playfully. "However, Shunsui Taicho seems..."

"SHUT UP!" Nanao snapped back, ignoring the fact that her Captain's eyes were glued to her.

"But taking time off is still awesome!" Matsumoto beamed, before throwing her arm around Tayomi's next. "And thanks to Yomi-chan, Taicho willingly came along with us today!"

Tayomi and Matsumoto looked at Hitsugaya, who rolled his eyes. He hated the sun. He detested it. He had planned to stay indoors, but Tayomi and Matsumoto would not stop persuading him. Matsumoto laughed at the thought that her Captain agreed to come after she told him that she would be swimming with Tayomi. Tayomi linked arms with Hitsugaya and smiled, making him smile a little as well. It did not change the fact that he hated to sun and the intense heat, though he had to admit that having Tayomi by his side made him feel slightly better. Many other Shinigami came as well. Besides the Shinigami Women's Association, Shunsui, Ukitake, Byakuya, Yoruichi, Ichigo, Chad, Ishida, Orihime, Hisagi, Kira, Ikkaku, Renji and Yumichika were present too. Tayomi's face instantly lighted up once Matsumoto invited her to come along. Hitsugaya grumbled, worrying about the amount of undone paper work in his office. Tayomi giggled and ruffled his hair.

"TO THE WATER!" Matsumoto screamed in delight, dragging Tayomi by the arm and jumping into the sea immediately.

* * *

Tayomi's eyes shot wide open as she entered the water. It was cold and clear blue, a relief from the extreme heat from the sun. She could see Matsumoto underwater. The other Shinigami joined them as well. Hisagi waved to her underwater and she waved back. Tayomi spotted everyone else underwater, including Hitsugaya. He smiled back at her. Yachiru suddenly swam up to her and nudged her hard. Tayomi was sent flying a metre backwards and rubbed her head. _Yachiru-chan can be so violent sometimes... _Yachiru literally bounced up and down underwater as she pointed at something. All the Shinigami turned in the direction of her finger and shot her a speechless look. Swimming about underwater were the same watermelon hollows that they were ambushed by the last time they went to the beach. Everyone sighed and swam upwards. Yachiru pouted and followed them. They were about to leave the waters when Nemu walked up to them and stopped them.

"This is the first contest. Whoever crushes the most watermelons will get a prize, presented by our President." She spoke calmly. "Unohana Taicho and Ukitake Taicho were placed in charge of this game."

Ichigo glanced at Yachiru, who was still pouting at them like a childish little girl. Everyone shook their heads and headed out of the water.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you! There'll be a cash prize for the winner, provided by Sou-Taicho Yamamoto!" Ukitake scratched his head and laughed.

Everyone's eyes instantly lighted up. Without hesitation, they all jumped into the water, searching wildly for the watermelon hollows. Tayomi blinked twice before glancing back at Hitsugaya, who shrugged his shoulders, shook his head and sighed. Shaking her head and laughing as well, she walked up to him and he held her hand. The two of them dived underwater to watch the other Shinigami and laugh at them. Tayomi nearly choked underwater watching Matsumoto tear away at one of the hollows and Renji make a failed attempt to attack the hollow with Kido. After a while, it felt rather strange watching everyone go berserk over watermelons. Tayomi quickly swam up to the surface before she really choked underwater. She laughed. Who would have expected her friends to go mad over a bunch of watermelon hollows? The more she thought about the image of Byakuya blasting the watermelon hollows with Kido, the scene where Kira frowned as Hisagi dragged him along to kill the watermelon hollows... It was too hilarious. Even Hitsugaya let out a tiny laugh, before raising his eyebrow as Tayomi literally collapsed on the floor laughing.

In the end, Matsumoto won the cash prize. She squealed in joy and went around hugging everyone, including Hitsugaya and Tayomi who practically suffocated during the hug. Matsumoto was too excited and happy to notice the fact that she was depriving the two young Captains of some much-needed air.

"Mmff..." Hitsugaya attempted to breathe. "MATSUMOTOOOOO!"

"Rangiku-chan..." Tayomi coughed and took in a deep breath of much-needed air.

"OOPS!" Matsumoto laughed. "Sorry Yomi-chan... Sorry..."

"MATSUMOTOOOOOO!"

"EEKS! I'M SORRY, TAICHO! I'M SORRY!"

* * *

After a traumatising lack of air, Tayomi was glad to escape from Matsumoto's clutches. Just then, Unohana announced that there would be another competition.

"We'll be having a beach volleyball competition now, everyone!" She smiled. "It'll be a battle between the Captains and the Lieutenants and seated officers! Everyone has to participate!"

Byakuya had no reaction, Hitsugaya raised his eyebrow, Tayomi blinked twice, Soi Fon smirked, Shunsui yawned and Unohana and Ukitake continued to smile. As for the Lieutenants, Kira sighed, Isane began to panic, Hinamori could only smile nervously, Renji choked, Nanao ran to Isane and they both panicked together, Hisagi and Matsumoto were equally hyped up, Yachiru squealed in delight, Nemu stayed the same (as always) and Kiyone jumped for joy. Ichigo sighed and shook his head, Rukia laughed, Ishida pushed up his spectacles, Chad stoned and Orihime cheered. Unohana and Ukitake were glad to see such enthusiasm from the Shinigami and their friends. Ukitake would be overseeing the whole tournament and with that, they began the tournament. Unohana began to explain the rules of their rather unusual game. Instead of the usual court and net, the whole beach became a court. There would be no net as well. All the members of each team would be passing the volleyball to each other while running and the fact that the whole beach was their court made the whole game harder. In addition, all the team members were to pair up and have their legs tied together. Once a pair of members of the team dropped the ball or lost the ball to the opposing team, the opposing team would gain a point. _So that means the whole point of this game... We can't drop the ball or let the opponent intercept us... And doing all of that with our legs tied together... That sounds rather hard. _Tayomi looked at the other Captains and noticed that none of them seemed worried. The Lieutenants and seated officers, on the other hand, had begun to panic a little. _Wow. Though our positions and ranks aren't exactly like worlds apart, the way we act is totally different. _

After a brief strategic meeting, both sides were ready to compete. Both teams had the same strategy, leaving the attacking to the shorter ones and the taller ones to defense. Tayomi stared down at her feet, which was tightly bound to Hitsugaya's. Even though he was looking down and no one should be able to see his face, it was quite clear that he was blushing madly. Tayomi herself was blushing too, as much as she tried to calm down. Suddenly, she felt Hitsugaya grab her hand tight and she looked at him. His turquoise eyes burned into hers and she sort of understood what he wanted to tell her.

_Yeah... Let's win this!_

With the ball sent up in the air, Tayomi and Hitsugaya used Shunpo to grab the ball before Hisagi and Kira could. Tayomi used one hand to volley it to Byakuya and Soi Fon, whom were both unbothered by the fact that they were tied together and were equally determined to win the tournament, despite having the odds against their side. There were many more members on the Lieutenants and seated officers' side, compared to the Captains. Just then, Matsumoto and Hinamori came rushing towards them.

"HINA-CHAN! RANGIKU-CHAN!" Tayomi squealed.

"I'm sorry, Yomi-chan..." Hinamori giggled. "But we'll be guarding you!"

"Ha. You mean, IF you can guard us, Bed-wetter." Hitsugaya smirked.

"SHIRO-CHAN!" Hinamori pouted.

"That's so mean, Susu-chan..." Tayomi nudged him.

"Both of you. DON'T CALL ME THAT."

"Taicho! I just realised!"

"What."

"I realised that I don't have a nickname for you! AH! I'll just call you Toshi-chan..."

"Don't try it."

"TOSHI-CHAN!"

"MATSUMOTOOOOO!"

"I'M SORRY, TAICHOOOO!"

"You're dead."

Hitsugaya volleyed the ball over to another pair. Unfortunately for the Lieutenants, they failed to intercept it. The Captains all got dead serious and the Lieutenants and seated officers were left amazed, as the Captains continued to score point after point. As expected, the Captains ended up winning the tournament. The Captains showed no emotion after victory, as per usual.

* * *

The sun set low in the horizon, colouring the distant skies with multi-coloured, pastel hues. The sky looked so magical, so enchanting. Tayomi felt completely captured by the sky and its beauty. The sky turned dark and a fire was started. Everyone sat in a circle around the campfire and enjoyed dinner together. Tayomi took out her guitar after much persuasion from the more playful Shinigami. Wondering what song she should play, she finally decided after some careful deliberation.

"Do you hear me? I'm talking to you. Across the water, across the deep blue ocean..."

Everyone instantly recognized the song and sang along. As the waves crashed onto the shore, the fire sizzled and the gentle breeze blew past, everything felt so peaceful and tranquil. Tayomi closed her eyes and rested her head on Hitsugaya's shoulder. He sighed and grabbed her hand tight, before resting his head on top of hers. Hinamori and Matsumoto smiled at each other. It was nice to see them together, after they had endured so many struggles through the decades. Tayomi closed her eyes and listened to the relaxing breeze, indulging herself in the peaceful atmosphere of the shore. It felt as if time had stopped for every single one of them. It felt just like how it was in the past, before all the never-ending battles came, before Aizen, before the New Espada. If only everything could stay so...usual. Hitsugaya looked down at her and pulled her along for a walk by the shore, ignoring the fact that Matsumoto would probably want to stalk them.

"You're troubled." He said as they strolled along the beach.

"I'm not..." Tayomi sighed. "I just... I just wish everything would return to the way it was before."

"It will, once Aizen is gone."

He kissed her on the forehead and they both stared out towards the sea. _Yeah... Everything will be back to normal once Aizen's been defeated... _

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I love beaches :D They're nice! Wahaha  
Sorry the chapter took long... My holidays just started XD And battle scenes aren't very easy to write. But I'll do my best ^.^  
Next chapter, we'll continue the crazy battles between the Gotei 13, Vizards, New Espada and their Fraccion :D  
I shall go dig deep into my inspiration for battle! XD  
Hope you all liked this chapter :D Please review and stay tuned! Thanks! :D


	51. Possibilities

**CHAPTER 51: POSSIBILITIES**

Tayomi struggled to keep her eyes open as she watched the battle unfold before her. She was aware that she was slipping in and out of consciousness, but she had to show Hitsugaya that she was alright. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was worried about her and feared becoming a source of distraction for him. One way or another, she would keep herself awake and protect him to the best of her abilities.

Hitsugaya raised his blade and attempted to slash Viquierra, but failed again. Viquierra shifted himself backwards, only to have Ichigo ambush him with Getsuga Tenshou. Somehow, Viquierra appeared to be getting sick of the whole battle. As devoid of emotion as he was, Tayomi was able to sense Viquierra's boredom from the battle and knew that he was not putting his full power into it. _At this rate, it's likely that'll he go into Resurreccion soon enough... That is, provided that he gets impatient. _Hitsugaya and Ichigo were already struggling to land a hit on Viquierra. Viquierra seemed fine and immune to his injuries, but Hitsugaya and Ichigo had begun to crumble a little. Tayomi could feel the pain in her heart, wishing that she could have went up there to help them. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, she tried to get up, but to no avail. Reaching out her hand with her remaining strength, she reached out to try and pull out her Zanpakutou. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier with every passing moment and she finally lost consciousness, with her serious injuries still tormenting her and Hitsugaya.

Ichigo noticed that Tayomi's eyes were closed and instantly realised that she had lost consciousness. He also realised that if her injuries were not treated quickly enough, she could possibly end up losing her life. Hitsugaya seemed aware of that as well, as he went all-out on Viquierra. In fact, his anger made him move so quickly that it was hard to track his movements.

"RYUSENKA!"

"HYORU SENBI!"

"GUNCHO TSURARA!"

_Man... Toushiro is really going mad on this guy... _Ichigo decided to follow his streak of anger. After all, Tayomi was his friend and she had helped him a lot. The least he could do was end the battle as quickly as possible and get her injuries treated. He noticed that Viquierra seemed slightly tense. There was only one thing that could be coming up next.

"Oscurecer los cielos, Murciélago Fantasma.*"

A dark, heavy mist surrounded the area as Viquierra released a great deal of reiatsu, creating a violent wind which blew the mist in all directions. Hitsugaya's and Ichigo's vision were blurred immediately as they could not see a single thing among the darkness. Suddenly, a bright green light shone through, blinding them. Out of the light emerged Viqueirra in his Ressureccion form. His body had turned grey and translucent, making him look somewhat like a phantom. In addition, two dark black wings had grown on his back, giving him the ability to fly.

Things looked anything but good.

* * *

The whole area was reduced to rubble. All that was left behind was a desolate trail of destruction. Geneva was having a blast, firing Ceros all over the place, snickering in delight as she watched her opponents struggle to dodge them. Soi Fon noticed that ever since she released her Resurreccion, Geneva's Ceros had begun to speed up greatly. Usually, Ceros were not widely used in battle because it needed time to charge. However, Geneva was using them so excessively. Suddenly, it hit her. _Maybe this Espada is trying to make us keep our distance from her... Could it be that she's no good with short-distance combat?_ Shunsui nodded at her, as if he had read her thoughts. Kenpachi continued to attempt to get closer to his opponent and slash her. Both Shunsui and Soi Fon decided to hold back. With Kenpachi going all-out in front of them, perhaps he could reveal Geneva's weakness. Geneva seemed a bit shocked that her opponent refused to back down, but did not stop firing her Ceros. All of a sudden, Kenpachi disappeared. Geneva snickered, thinking that she had taken him down.

"Heh."

She felt a sharp blade tear through the hollow bones covering her back. Her blood splattered in all directions as Kenpachi slashed her. Completely enraged, she unsheathed her Zanpakutou and attempted to slash him back, but narrowly missed him. Soi Fon noticed that in short-distance combat, Geneva's speed had slowed down greatly. Shunsui smiled and rushed forward.

"Bushogoma."

A spiralling wind was sent towards Geneva. Not expecting it at all, she was caught in it, wondering what was going on. _It must be those bothersome Shinigami... It's alright. It's just a weak wind. It won't hinder me from attaining victory and impressing Aizen-sama... _

"DIE!"

Soi Fon emerged from the depths of the wind, with Suzumebachi on her finger. With grace and speed, she managed to land a hit on Geneva. A four-petaled flower symbol appeared on Geneva's lower arm. The New Espada did not show it on her face, but it was clear that she was taken aback by this sudden gesture. Even though she had no idea what it did, she could tell that the consequences would be disastrous if she let Soi Fon hit her again. Using Sonido, she quickly sped off, avoiding a second advance from Soi Fon.

Soi Fon chased after Geneva, determined to hit her and finish her off. Of course, Geneva would not let things go that easily. She quickly whipped out her claw and blasted a Cero right in Soi Fon's face, sending her flying backwards. Soi Fon formed a deep depression in the wall and she felt blood drip down her face, from her forehead, past her eyes and down to her chin. She had been hit hard and she could feel several of her bones being broken, but that did not stop her from backing down. Shunsui went behind Geneva and managed to land a hit on her, tearing open a small wound on her leg. _That should slow her down a little._ Geneva seemed to understand that all odds were against her and looked down at her arm, where Soi Fon had hit. She stared hard at it for a moment, wondering if it was worth it to attain more power. Shaking her head, she decided against it and thought it would be better to save it for later. Shunsui noticed that and wondered about the reasons behind it. _Was she thinking of severing her own arm? The New Espada is not exactly much stronger than the original Espada... Is there a reason behind this? Perhaps by losing their own body parts, it could raise their abilities and powers..? _Kenpachi dashed towards Geneva fearlessly and had the time of his life, attempting into the flesh of his opponent as his opponent quickly defended every attack.

"It's alright. I enjoy a challenge like this." Kenpachi snickered. "Give me all you've got, Espada."

"Huh. Oh really?" Geneva smiled sarcastically. "You bet I will. You will regret. I can gurantee you that, Shinigami."

* * *

A large, swirling wind gathered around the newly-transformed Viquierra. His reiatsu had reached a frightening level, capable of suffocating any Shinigami who did not possess Captain-level reiatsu. Ichigo nodded at Hitsugaya and Hitsugaya quickly rushed to build a Kido barrier around Tayomi to protect her. After that, both Shingami released their reiatsu, causing the ground to rumble and all the rubble to be thrown to the side of the Seijotokyorin. An icy white aura surrounded Hitsugaya as he concentrated much of his power and strength into his Zanpakutou. Gripping the hilt of his blade tightly, he used Shunpo and dashed towards Viquierra. To his utmost shock, he felt a hand grab the blade of his Zanpakutou. Viquierra had a firm grip on his blade, not bothered by the fact that Hitsugaya's attack had impacted him greatly. Blood was flooding down from the wound on his hand down his arm, yet his face showed no sign of pain. Hitsugaya's blade was trembling, as he struggled to free his Zanpakutou from Viquierra's grasp. Mercilessly. Viquierra flung Hitsugaya over his head with a mere swipe of his arm, causing Hitsugaya to crash against the pillars. He could feel blood trickling down the right side of his face and an intense pain in his back, but there was no way he would allow himself to stop. Ichigo attacked Viquierra relentlessly, continuously throwing slashes and using Getsuga Tenshou against him. A few of them had managed to hit Viquierra, out of pure luck. Both Ichigo and Hitsugaya were worn-out and suffering from severe injuries. Yet, Viquierra had only sustained a few serious cuts and wounds. Forcing himself up, Hitsugaya grasped his Zanpakutou tightly, before flying towards Viquierra at top speed.

"HYORU SENBI!"

Viquierra dodged that attack neatly, only to become an open target for Ichigo's next attack. A huge black wave of energy was sent flying towards him at an unprecedented speed, much faster than Viquierra had expected it to be. _Those Shinigami don't seem ready to back down... _His hand began to glow, as a pale green arrow extended out and rested on his palm. The arrows multiplied greatly and rapidly, forming a line in front of his body. With a quick wave of his arm, the arrows flew towards Hitsugaya and Ichigo, following them right on their tails. No matter where they ran, the arrows followed them. Hitsugaya flew around the pillars, up and down, trying to shake off the arrows while keeping an eye on his opponent. _These arrows must have some sort of homing ability... Running around like this isn't going to be of much use. _Suddenly, he thought of an idea and quickly flew past Ichigo, hoping that the arrows following them would clash with each other and destroy themselves. However, the arrows seemed to have a mind of its own, as it steered off the same path as the other arrows, before continuing to close in on its target. _DAMN IT! _Just then, Hitsugaya realised that he was flying towards the wall and instantly knew that there was not enough time to steer and escape.

He would definitely get hit.

Suddenly, a barrier made up of condensed reiatsu appeared in front of him, blocking off the arrows and causing them to bounce against the barrier. The arrows incinerated themselves, bursting into purple flames. Hitsugaya raised his eyebrow, wondering where that much-appreciated defense came from. Had a new person entered the room without him realising it?

"Bakudo 39, Enkosen and Hado 54, Haien. They've always been effective when put together. I'm glad I managed to heal up fast enough..."

Hitsugaya turned around to see a very familiar face smiling at him.

"Ta...yo...mi..." He stuttered.

"Don't look so shocked. I didn't fully heal my injuries. When Viquierra was about to hit me, I managed to use Bakudo 8, Seki... But the shield wasn't fully constructed, so I still suffered damage. All the time while you and Ichigo were fighting him, I was conserving my reiatsu and using it to heal my injuries..."

"But that means you're still injured..."

"You're injured too."

Tayomi turned to face Viquierra.

"Well then, let's finish this and clear up this mess, shall we?" Tayomi unsheathed her Zanpakutou and smiled. "BANKAI!"

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***Oscurecer los cielos, Murciélago Fantasma: Darken the skies, Phantom Bat

* * *

**Author's note:  
**YAY and Tayomi is up again! :D This battle scene took quite a bit of thinking...  
Next chapter, we'll continue the fight between Soi Fon, Shunsui, Kenpachi and the 3rd New Espada, Geneva Jacquerain. We'll start on the battle against the 4th and 5th New Espada too, Wolffe ad Kiiya :D So stay tuned!  
I'll be starting on my new Hitman Reborn FanFiction and discussing the new Bleach FanFiction with my friend from school XD  
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! ^.^ Thank you!


	52. The First Fall

**CHAPTER 52: THE FIRST FALL**

Kenpachi lunged at Geneva without holding back. His arms moved quickly, aiming to slash his opponent and fully expecting blood to splatter out in all directions. Geneva was slowing down in speed for some unknown reason and her reaction time had slowed down drastically. It was rather expected though, as she had taken a considerable amount of damage from her three opponents. Soi Fon decided to end things quickly and released her Bankai, determined to end this long battle. Shunsui got really serious for a moment, skilfully throwing his attacks at Geneva. Geneva was literally being pummelled by their overwhelming power and offensive attacks. She tried to fight back, but with her opponents at full strength and the three-versus-one situation clearly putting her at a disadvantage. It would be hard to gain a foothold in the battle again.

She deeply regretted not having made a steadfast decision to sacrifice one of her limbs to release more reiatsu. With her heart falling inside, she felt as if she had failed Aizen... He had given them that special ability after extensive research and extracting reiatsu from the hundreds of dead Arrancar that she and the rest of the New Espada had fought to the death with. She still remembered Aizen's precious words, word for word.

_With this power from the hundreds of opponents you fought, I bestow upon you this special ability and absolute power with it. With a little sacrifice, you can gain so much power and laugh at the dumbstruck expression on your opponent's face before they die._

Shunsui and Kenpachi suddenly cleared the way for Soi Fon, who pointed her arm at Geneva, taking her aim. Geneva, empowered by her will to serve Aizen, bravely lunged forward at her opponents. Shunsui quickly knocked her backwards, just in time for Soi Fon to launch an offensive attack. As the giant yellow missile headed straight for Geneva, Shunsui jumped back and let the massive missile head straight for Geneva. A huge explosion, a bright light and a burning sensation overcame the area. When the dust cleared, Soi Fon deactivated her Bankai and stared down at Geneva. Geneva lay in her pool of blood, practically motionless and clearly near death. She blinked a few times as she thought about her cousin, Grimmjow.

"_Get away from me!" He screamed at her, like he did everyday. "Get off my back! Aizen's calling me!"_

"_But..." Geneva pleaded with her stubborn cousin, tugging on the white sleeve of his new uniform. "What about the rest of us?"_

"_Oh you'll end up here somehow. If you've got power, Aizen will notice you for sure and bring you back to Las Noches."_

"_But..."_

"_For the last time, GO AWAY GENEVA!"_

_Grimmjow, with his nose in the air, snickered and turned to leave. He was going away. Away from their family, away from their friends... And most importantly, away from her. She never got the chance to tell him how she really felt about him. Looks like she never would, until she managed to get her power discovered by Aizen. Once she received news on Grimmjow's death and that he was killed by a Shinigami, she swore that she would power up and get into Las Noches for revenge. Every single one of her days were spent training herself and devouring other hollows... Everything she did was for him. It was revenge on Aizen. If Aizen had not appeared and taken Grimmjow away from her, he would not have been swept into battle and he would still be alive to return to her side. Even if he never came back to her, she would be glad enough to know that he was alive. With that ability Aizen gave her, she was hoping that it would make her even stronger and allow her to kill him, as easy as pie. _

"Aizen..." Geneva gasped with her last few breaths. "Give him back to me... I want to kill you..."

Soi Fon raised her eyebrow, slightly taken aback by the New Espada's words. Even Shunsui looked a little shocked. They all had the impression that Aizen's New Espada were blindly following him, pledging their eternal faith to 'Aizen-sama'. To hear that coming out of one of the New Espada's mouth was just strange. They understood that in the original Espada, some of them wanted revenge on Aizen, like Barragan. But to see that even in the New Espada, it seemed like the New Espada took after their predecessors.

"Hey... You Shinigami..." Geneva took a deep breath, almost near death. "You'd... Better kill Aizen..."

"That's what we intend to do." Shunsui spoke solemnly.

Soi Fon sighed and shook her head as Geneva took her last breath, before finally falling into the arms of death and into her own pool of blood. Shunsui stared at her motionless body and his shoulder slumped. Kenpachi was the only one who was still smiling away and cackling, after defeating his opponent at last. The whole area was silent, except for Kenpachi's hysterical laughter.

* * *

Urahara waited around the area outside the Senzaikyu, near the stairs. He turned his head to his right, only to see Hiyori and Love running towards him. Once Hiyori saw him, she snarled and came running towards him, ready to kick him in the face. Without any hint of panic, Urahara stepped aside and laughed under his breath as Hiyori missed his face. Grumbling, she glared at her ex-Captain while Love shook his head.

"Where's that New Espada?" Hiyori shouted.

"How am I supposed to know?" Urahara replied, with a smile on his face. "I just got here a few minutes ago!"

"YOU MAGGOT..." Hiyori was all ready to aim another kick at Urahara's face when Love held her back.

"Hiyori... Don't do that. We have better things to do, like defeating that New Espada." Love nodded with a serious expression on his face. "Kisuke, I assume the New Espada hasn't appeared?"

Urahara nodded. Suddenly, a loud yawn was heard. The three of them turned behind to see a man with shoulder length, messy brown hair strolling towards them. He wore the New Espada uniform, but he did not act like one of them. In fact, he appeared more like a lazy Fraccion. Urahara raised his eyebrow. _That's one of the New Espada? But then again... The Primera used to be Coyote Starrk and he was just like that as well... _Casting aside his own thoughts about this New Espada, he focused his glare on him, watching as he approached them with slow steps. Love already had his hand gripped tightly around the hilt of his Zanpakutou, while Hiyori was all ready to charge at him. Just then, the New Espada looked up at them and let out another yawn, before strolling over to them.

"Why are you all looking at me with such an angry glare?" He yawned sleepily as he asked.

"WHY YOU..." Hiyori charged forward at him with her Zanpakutou, only to have it stopped by the New Espada who merely reached out a hand to grip the blade tightly.

"Could you at least introduce yourself to me?" His voice sounded serious all of a sudden.

"Urgh... WHY SHOULD I?" Hiyori continued to struggle and push her blade against the New Espada's neck, but he did not falter.

"The handsome owner of a candy shop, Kisuke Urahara." Urahara grinned cheekily.

"Stop it, Hiyori!" Love pulled Hiyori back before she did something reckless.

"LOVE!"

"Ah... I see... Your names are Hiyori and Love..." The New Espada nodded.

"Introduce yourself as well, New Espada." Love demanded.

"The Fourth New Espada, Wolffe Barrk..." He yawned. "Pleased to meet you."

Wolffe stared at the three Shinigami and Vizards who had their eyes glued onto him. Deciding to ignore their burning stares, Wolffe let out a yawn and decided to simply walk past them.

"WAIT! HOLD IT!" Hiyori had released her Zanpakutou and pointed it at Wolffe's neck, not allowing him to leave. "Even though I'm not related to those Shinigami... You aren't getting out of here so easily."

Wolffe turned to look at the three of them. He shook his head and yawned, before unsheathing his Zanpakutou and preparing for combat.

* * *

Suddenly, Tayomi felt someone grab her arm. She turned behind to see Hitsugaya staring at her. He nodded at Ichigo, trying to request that Ichigo hold Viquierra back for a while. Ichigo nodded, before charging towards Viquierra with a powerful attack at hand. Hitsugaya pulled her aside, behind a pillar, just before she could release her Bankai. After a moment of staring at her eyes, which were twinkling at him with life, he could not help but pull her close to him. He ran his fingers through her black hair. For the past hour, he thought that he would not be able to end the battle before she bled to death. Tayomi was a bit shocked, but she simply let out a small giggle, before wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You thought I would die... Didn't you?" She whispered into his ear.

Hitsugaya did not bother to speak. He nodded and hugged her even tighter. He was so afraid of losing her and for a moment, he thought that he would have lost her.

"Say something..." She shook her head and laughed. "I bet you thought I would..."

"I love you." He said it very quickly, but each word was said and pronounced so clearly that Tayomi knew what he said.

She had never seen him so shy before, but it was so adorable. Her face immediately turned into a bright shade of red. _He's so cute..._

"Me too." She buried her face in his shoulder and subconsciously shifted her arms higher up his body.

She ran her fingers through his hair, before blushing slightly and quickly kissing him on the cheek. For some reason, it felt as if they had just seen each other for the first time and had fallen in love with each other instantly. Hitsugaya blushed as well, before using his finger to tip her face upwards and slowly bring her face closer to his. Their noses were touching and Tayomi blushed. It had been really long since they last had a romantic moment like this. Battles and work had taken a lot of time away from them and each other.

"I love you more." He whispered.

Closing his eyes, he put both his hands around her cheeks and brought her face directly in front of his. Their lips touched for a second, before he tilted his head slightly to the right and his lips pressed onto hers. They drew back for a moment, before closing in again. Tayomi giggled, before burying her face in his shoulder again.

"See that?" He helped her adjust her pink headband. "I love you more. Don't argue with me on this."

"Hmph." She pouted. "We shouldn't be so mean and leave Ichigo there, should we?"

Hitsugaya nodded.

"Don't use your Bankai... Don't risk your life."

Tayomi nodded and squeezed his hand. They returned to the area to rejoin Ichigo, all ready for battle.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I'm glad I managed to get in that fluff scene lol :D We've been missing out on serious fluff on the past few chapters!  
So that's the end to Geneva, the 3rd New Espada T.T And Wolffe's battle has just started!  
Next chapter, a new battle with the Fraccion will start XD So stay tuned!  
Thanks for reading! Hope you all liked it :D Please review! Thank you ^.^


	53. Battle Between Beauties

**CHAPTER 53: BATTLE BETWEEN BEAUTIES**

Yumichika flipped his hair and sighed. He had not seen a single Arrancar in sight. He turned to his right and grumbled as Ikkaku did his utterly revolting 'Lucky Dance'. As if it was not bad enough that his head was reflecting so much light, he could not even bother to make a more beautiful dance. Shaking his head, he continued to watch Ikkaku dance around the area like a crazed man. Yumichika twirled his hair and adjusted his eye feathers, wanting to give his opponent a stunning first impression. Ikkaku screamed in delight and hopped up beside his friend, after completing the dance for the tenth time.

"We're going to be LUCKY!" He waved his Zanpakutou in the air and laughed loudly.

Suddenly, both of their ears picked up the noise of footsteps. The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Instantly, Yumichika and Ikkaku's hands gripped the hilt of their Zanpakutous, preparing for the intense battle ahead. Strolling through the North gate was an Arrancar with short, wavy brown hair and four green lines under his left eye. His hollow mask covered the area below his right eye, all the way down to his chin with a white tusk protruding out of his mask. He wore dark green eyeliner and had his glare fixed on Ikkaku and Yumichika. Ikkaku snarled, clearly feeling threatened by the bulky Arrancar's glare, while Yumichika turned away in disgust. _What an ugly opponent..._ He pouted, as he had been hoping that his opponent would be somewhat beautiful. Or at least, much more beautiful compared to his opponent during the battle in the Fake Karakura Town a few years ago. The memory of Charlotte Cuulhourne and the revolting sight ultimately made him feel utterly sick. Trying to shove such a hideous sight out of his head, he unsheathed his Zanpakutou, ready for what seemed to be a battle of two Shinigamis versus a Fraccion. At least, they thought so.

"YOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A loud, girly voice rang out throughout the vicinity.

Yumichika's eyes widened. For some reason, that annoying voice and defeaning yodel had reminded him of something so disgusting and ugly that it had scarred his eyes for life.

" THE FANTASTIC MAGICAL AWESOME CUTE BEAUTIFUL GREAT ECONOMICAL WONDERFUL SPELLBINDING ENCHANTING INTERESTING INVIGORATING REFRESHING DELIGHTFUL ULTRA GLAMOROUS VALLENCIE CUULHOURNE HAS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE!"

Yumichika and Ikkaku stared blanky at their pink-haired opponent with his glittery hollow mask, while he worshipped himself over and over again. Vallencie looked at Yumichika and Ikkaku, smirking.

"Be honoured, my hideous opponents. I know you're standing in awe of my astounding beauty. I even went as far as to wear my special battle outfit for todayyyy!" He beamed, showing of his shiny white shorts paired with a glittery belt, as well as his halter neck white top.

Yumichika covered his mouth, on the edge of puking his guts out in disgust. But at the same time, he simply could not suppress his laughter. Ikkaku simply stared blanky, clearly not impressed by Vallencie's 'astounding beauty'. Both of them were amused by Vallencie's crude sense of style, that they could no longer hold it back and began rolling on the floor laughing. Yumichika laughed till his stomach hurt and tears were coming out of his eyes. As for Ikkaku, he simply let out a deafening laugh, completely entertained by the hilarity and absurdity of seeing a man wearing clothes like a girl. Vallencie was extremely insulted by his opponents' behaviour and decided to lay down the law on this.

"Laughing at my PRETTY CUTE MIRACULOUS HEAVENLY MIND-BLOWING EXEMPLARY outfit? You won't be laughing much longer..." Vallencie snarled, determined to exact revenge upon the two Shinigami.

* * *

Hiyori gripped her Zanpakutou hard, after reluctantly deactivating her Shikai under Love's instruction. She sneered and glared straight at Wolffe. For a moment, it seemed as if fiery daggers were about to emerge from her very eyes and puncture Wolffe's entire body with them. Love noticed Hiyori's sudden yet unsurprising wave of extreme fury. Whenever she was in such a mood, he knew that he had to get his guard up and watch after her. An angry Hiyori always tended to be reckless and make bad judgements. Urahara, having been her superior once, knew that as well. He shook his head. His fiery ex-Lieutenant never failed to lose her temper at least once a day. Taking out his cane, he lowered his green and white hat such that it completely hid his eyes from Wolffe's view. Wolffe snarled and sighed. He would rather be sleeping than involving himself in troublesome battles like these. _The faster I wrap this up, the faster I can get back to my afternoon nap..._

"Can we hurry and wrap this up?" Wolffe yawned. "I'd rather not fight... I want to sleep..."

"YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" Hiyori screeched, waving her Zanpakutou in the air violently. "YOUR BASTARD OF A LEADER STARTED THIS WHOLE MESS, SO BLAME HIM!"

Hiyori charged towards him screaming, with her blade aimed straight for Wolffe. Her eyes widened, as Wolffe responded with incredible speed. Almost immediately, he had raised his Zanpakutou and blocked Hiyori's deadly blade. Hiyori noticed that Wolffe was not even making eye contact with her and he was only holding his blade with one hand. That meant that besides a quick response rate, he had strength to back himself up as well. Even though he was part of the New Espada, which were supposed to be much stronger than their predecessors, he had to have a weakness. Surely, during the course of the battle, they could find it?

Just then, a black moth swooped down onto Wolffe's finger. Urahara chuckled. That black moth probably had the same functions as a Hell Butterfly. His thoughts were confirmed when Wolffe's expression suddenly changed. As the black moth flew away, Wolffe stood there dazed for a second, before tightly clenching his fists and glaring at Love, Hiyori and Urahara.

"You Shinigami..." He spoke calmly, yet had his voice full of anger. "You Shinigami killed one of my comrades!"

"Hmph. Don't assosciate us with Shinigami." Hiyori pouted. "We're Vizards. Get that into your head, maggot."

"Geneva..." Wolffe muttered to himself. "I'll avenge you for sure..."

_Geneva... That's the name of the third New Espada. _Urahara was slightly shocked to learn that the first New Espada to fall was of a considerably high rank, owning a considerable amount of power and abilities. Though he expected the fifth New Espada to fall first, he assumed that the fifth New Espada was likely to not have appeared yet. Kiiyaa Halibel. He had to be around somewhere, hiding and sneaking around. Urahara focused on the task at hand and faced the fourth New Espada, Wolffe Barrk. Wolffe shook his head and rushed at Love, who quickly dodged that attack and tried to attack Wolffe unsuccessfully. Urahara simply stood by and watched, wondering if Wolffe would notice him. While Love and Hiyori 'entertained' Wolffe, Urahara observed his opponent. His movements, his style, his way of using his Zanpakutou... Somehow, something would reveal itself to him. He would uncover Wolffe's weakness sooner or later and by then, he would have the perfect solution to combat it.

_

* * *

_

Where am I?

A blonde haired girl with her hollow mask covering the top of her blonde hair shook her head and sighed, as her white antennae followed the movements of her head. Soft bangs were heard as her boots came into contact with the wooden floors along the hallway. She twirled her long, thin blonde ponytail round her finger. She looked to her right and stared at the door that stood before her. Shrugging her shoulders, she pushed open the door to the Captain's Assembly Hall. To her surprise, she saw three people standing inside as if they had been awaiting her arrival for a long time. One of them was a teenager wearing spectacles with black hair. He did not appear to be a Shinigami, since he was wearing a white cape, shirt and pants instead of the black Shinigami robes. The other two were definitely Shinigami, since they both wore the white long-sleeved Captain's haori and black Shinigami robes. One of them had long white hair and brown eyebrows, while the other had his face completely covered with eccentric patterns marked by face pain and blue hair. The blonde girl raised her eyebrow, not understanding her situation at all. To her, these people looked as if they were waiting for her arrival eagerly. Thing was, she did not know them. Nor did she know what business they had with her. One way or another, she could feel an aura of danger in the room and she felt that it was best to leave the room as quickly as possible. Just as she turned to leave, the man with blue hair chuckled and the door snapped shut. Her eyes widened and she rapidly turned behind.

"Heh heh!" The man with blue hair cackled. "You came in here first. We can't let you go so easily..."

"You sound like a real pervert, you freaky scientist..." The bespectacled man huffed.

"SHUT UP!"

"Calm down you two..." The man with white hair sighed, before looking at the blonde girl. "Strange... I thought the fifth New Espada was a male!"

"If you're referring to me," a sly smile suddenly surfaced on the blonde girl's face. "Then yes, I am a girl. The fifth New Espada, Kiiyaa Halibel, is a girl. Geneva Jacquerain... That girl isn't the only girl in the New Espada you know. If you'll excuse me, I need to go..."

"You can't leave. We have to fight you and stop your leader, Aizen." The man wearing spectacles nodded.

_Fight... Aizen..._

_Oh yeah. I'm supposed to fight the Shinigami. Oops, I nearly forgot!_

Kiiyaa smiled. "Why don't you introduce yourselves? I've introduced myself already, now it's your turn."

"Ishida Uryuu." The bespectacled man nodded, as he pushed his spectacles higher up his nosebridge.

"Ukitake Juushiro, Captain of the 13th Division." The man with white hair spoke calmly.

"Kurotsuchi Mayuri... Captain of the 12th Division and Head of the Shinigami Research Institute." The crazy, blue-hair man laughed with his head tilted towards the high ceiling.

Kiiyaa smirked. Every single one of them looked like a joke to her. Every single one of them did not seem like a threat. Every single one of them would be crushed in her hands like a paper ball. In comparison to her vast powers, the three of them combined would not even stand a chance against her. She twirled her blonde hair round her finger, laughed and unsheathed her Zanpakutou. From here on, the battle would start. Her battle would start officially, as the fifth New Espada, Kiiyaa Halibel.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well that's the 53rd chapter there :D So far, all the battles for the New Espada have started... Except for the 2nd's!  
Next chapter, I'll be focusing on Vallencie,the 'Bulky Arrancar' (I haven't properly introduced him) and Kiiyaa's battles! I'm glad to see the Vizards and Urahara fight lol XD  
I won't be touching on the battle between Viquierra, Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo for a while... Saving the best battle for last. Besides, I wanna keep this reminder of Ulquiorra for a little while more ^.^  
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Please review! Thanks for reading!


	54. The Fury

**CHAPTER 54: THE FURY**

"Insulting my FABULOUS STUPENDOUS MIRACULOUS EVERLASTING SPARKLING SHINING FANTASTIC BATTLE OUTFIT is a SIN, you hideous sight of a Shinigami!" Vallencie snapped.

Yumichika clenched his fist tight, his eyebrows pointed downwards and for a moment it seemed as if a wild fire was burning in his eyes. He snarled, extremely tempted to run up to that ugly Fraccion and give him (or HER) a tight slap in his (or HER) disgusting face. How could that filthy Arrancar have the guts to insult his beauty? His lustrous and glossy black hair, clean and elegant eye feathers... They were all accessories that further enhanced his amazingly good looks. And here he was, being referred to as a 'hideous sight' by the truly hideous sight of that Fraccion, Vallencie Cuulhourne. It seemed that his (or seriously, HER) predecessor, Charlotte Cuulhourne, and he were exactly alike. All clearly a pain in the eye, yet refusing to admit so and calling others ugly. It was just like the pot calling the kettle black. _How annoying... HOW ANNOYING! CALLING MY BEAUTIFUL SELF UGLY! WHAT AN INSULT! I CANNOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN!_ Tightening his grip round the hilt of his Zanpakutou, he was just about to lash out at Vallencie when he remembered that he was fighting for Soul Society. Now that the Fraccion were more powerful than before, it would be more than unwise to let his emotions get the better of him, leading him to make hasty and careless decisions. He calmed himself down, preparing himself for the tense battle of beauty ahead. As the shining silver blade of his Zanpakutou reflected his beautiful face, Yumichika's resolve to win grew stronger and stronger.

Ikkaku noticed the fury that had engulfed his friend's eyes. He felt quite annoyed as well, even though the more he looked at Vallencie, the more he closed in towards the edge of rolling on the floor and laughing at that ridiculous outfit. He looked at the other Fraccion which towered over him, his shadow completely covering him. That Fraccion had an incredible size and build. He knew that judging by Aizen's standards, it would not be a bit surprising if his giant opponent had not only power, but speed as well. Judging by the strength and confidence in his opponent's eyes, he probably did have both of them. That ultimately meant that he had to watch out for both himself and Yumichika.

"Hey, you over there..." He scratched his shiny bald head. "You haven't introduced yourself."

"Grinkke Paduoc." He smirked. "Remember that all-important name. So if you see anyone before you die, you can at least provide the name of the one who defeated your pathetic self, eh?"

"Who said anything about my defeat? I won't be the one defeated, you Arrancar... You're gonna be the one lying done there yelping in pain..." Ikkaku had a sly grin wiped all over his face.

_Besides... I did the 'Lucky Dance' so many times... There's absolutely no way that I can lose! My 'Lucky Dance' is completely invincible! This Arrancar doesn't know of nor understand the power of my 'Lucky Dance'! I'll have to let him taste defeat for himself eh?_

Night was about to fall soon and the last few remaining rays of sunlight fell and bounced of Ikkaku's shiny bald head. The sun had begun to set and the sky had darkened significantly. Despite the darkened sky and the rise of the moon, both the Shinigamis' and Arrancars' spirits had not fallen. They were more than ready for this battle. A battle for beauty and strength. And each side was determined not to fail.

* * *

Urahara watched silently on the sidelines as Hiyori and Love fought violently. It was a violent struggle between the two Vizards and the New Espada, as none were willing to show off their true powers yet. Hiyori stubbornly refused to put on her Vizard mask and release her Shikai, strongly believing that she could take down Wolffe Barrk without anything fancy. As for Love, he simply released his Shikai but did not use his Vizard mask to amplify his powers. From the unsatisfied expression on Wolffe's face, it became clear to Urahara that their opponent knew how reluctant Hiyori and Love were to fight him at their full strength. Shaking his head and sighing, he decided to analyse his opponent up close. Slowly taking out his cane and lowering his hat, Urahara strolled towards the heart of the battle with slow, steady steps. Hiyori raised her blade high in the air, speeding towards Wolffe. She moved so quickly that she created a strong gust of wind, which blew past Urahara and sent his hat flying towards the ground. Sighing as he watched his ex-subordinate flare up completely in such an astoundingly short amount of time, he bent down to pick up his hat and put it back on. Wolffe quickly dodged the incoming attack, narrowly missing it as Hiyori's sharpened blade sliced off a tiny shred of fabric from his New Espada uniform. He watched as the small piece of white cloth slowly floated in the air before gently landing on the ground. His New Espada uniform... RIPPED! SHREDDED! It was unforgiveable. He deeply respected the precious uniform that Aizen had entrusted and given to him, as proof of his tremendous power and defeating all those Arrancars. He appreciated that uniform so much and to see it spoiled because of those two Vizards... It was unforgiveable! And he had even promised, even swore to Aizen that he would come back from the battle unscathed, his head held high in victory.

He lunged towards both Vizards, while releasing his Zanpakutou.

"Gritar, El Lobo Fantasma*!" He screamed.

A pale blue swirl of smoke enveloped him as he underwent his drastic transformation. Hiyori and Love jumped back quickly, shocked that the New Espada had decided to release his Resurreccion so soon in the battle. They had barely fought fiercely. In fact, they merely exchanged a few blows, but neither party was severely injured yet. Usually Resurreccions were used as a last resort, as a final attempt to overpower their opponent. But to release it so quickly... It was exceedingly suspiscious. Perhaps Wolffe had something up his sleeve? What exactly triggered him to do so? Urahara grew suspiscious quickly. Racking his brains hard, he had to admit that releasing his Resurreccion so quickly was extremely reckless of Wolffe. Judging from his initial sleepy and reluctant attitude towards battle, seeing his attitude change so drastically came as a real shock to every single one of them. Hiyori had her eyebrows raised and her eyes widened. Love's eyes could not be seen behind his sunglasses, but it was rather easy to tell that he was taken aback. After all, it was really unexpected. But with the New Espada's release and increasing reiatsu, they all knew that they had to end the battle as soon as possible. They did not intend to sustain more casualties in this long struggle against Sosuke Aizen. Urahara unveiled Benihime. _Looks like I'll have to use you soon... Get ready... _Smiling, he joined in the battle and stepped beside Hiyori.

"Ha! Finally stopped standing around eh?" Hiyori snapped.

Urahara simply kept quiet and smirked. It looked like he would really have to release Benihime soon. Wolffe stepped out of the swirl of smoke, clad in a black leather jacket and skinny leather jeans. His Zanpakutou had transformed into twin pistols and a black eye patch covered his left eye. He also had a dark blue belt and strapped on it were various types of grenades. Urahara raised his eyebrow. Those grenades were likely to be Ceros, it might even have enhanced power and speed. Right now, Wolffe looked like a dark version of the original Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk. Though Wolffe had appeared and was assumed to be a lot weaker than Starrk, it was highly possible that their levels of power might not be that far off after all. Hiyori, Love and Urahara had noticed a sharp increase in Wolffe's reiatsu. It felt slightly suffocating, but it was still tolerable. Urahara had received news that Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo were fighting the first New Espada, Viquierra Cifer. It had been hours, yet no news of the conclusion of that battle had come. If Wolffe's Resurreccion already had quite an impact, it was not hard to imagine how incredible Viquierra's Resurreccion was. Viquierra's reiatsu was probably more suffocating than Wolffe's by many notches. But he had no time to worry about them. Tayomi Sakuri, Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kurosaki Ichigo... All three of them had incredible potential. With their combination, they would probably be able to make it out alive and in victory. They had always had their ways of handling the most dangerous of situations and turning it around. Trusting their abilities, Urahara sighed and proceeded to charge towards the newly-released Wolffe, focusing on his own battle.

* * *

Kiiyaa surveyed all three of her opponents. The bespectacled man was probably the clever one. He seemed to possess a strange calmness despite being in a battle and he was probably more of a strategic fighter, countering attacks using pure logic and outsmarting his opponent when possible. As for the Shinigami with long white hair, she noticed that he had two blades. Seeing a Shinigami with two blades was extremely rare and she instantly deduced that he was the strongest out of the three. As for the man with blue hair... Well, he looked crazy. He was probably the craziest and most insane out of the three and she decided to leave it at that. His strength was probably considerably high, since he was wearing the Captain's haori. He was the Head of the Shinigami Research Institute, so it would probably be safe to assume that he was analytical and possessed some brains as well.

"Hey... You with the spectacles..." Kiiyaa scratched the back of her neck.

"Yes?" Ishida replied, while pushing up his spectacles.

"What... What exactly are you?" Kiiyaa slowly raised her finger and pointed it at Ishida, with a blank look on her face. "You're not a Shinigami... You're not wearing black... Are you an alien?"

_AN ALIEN? What the..._

Ukitake and Mayuri turned to look at Ishida, whose face was rbight red with a tint of fury in his eyes. Ukitake raised his eyebrows, trying not to let out a small laugh. Mayuri did not care though and simply laughed.

"Uhm..." Ishida cleared his throat. "I'm not an alien... I'm a Quincy."

"Quincy?" Kiiyaa giggled. "I've never heard of that before! Is that a new species of aliens..?"

_This New Espada... She's mocking me._

"Um... Never mind." Ishida tried to change the subject, acknowledging that this New Espada did not have much knowledge of the world outside Hueco Mundo. "Let's just get this over with, alright?"

* * *

**TRANSLATION:  
***Cry out, Phantom Wolf!

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Sorry this chapter came out late, I had been busy this week T.T  
Ah but these three battles are just getting started! I'm quite excited to see the turn of events that will occur in future XD  
I'm going to camp from Tuesday to Friday, so the next chapter might be out a little late.  
Next chapter, we'll still continue to touch on these battles :D Leaving Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo's fight alone first to think of a good way to end it AND keep Ulquiorra look-alike around longer LOL XD  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! (Glad I finished this on my birthday LOL) Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	55. Release!

**CHAPTER 55: RELEASE!**

"And for insulting my FANTASTIC BEAUTIFUL CUTE WONDERFUL SPELL-BINDING ENCHANTING MAGICAL GLITTERY MASTERFUL INTRICATE DELIGHTFUL outfit," Vallencie sneered. "I will unleash an ultra powerful attack on you and force you to take back your words!"

Yumichika raised his eyebrow. The fight had barely started and yet it was already ridiculous beyond his imagination and expectations.

"Brillo en la gloria y la victoria, La Flor Brillante!*" Vallencie raised his head towards the sky dramatically and screamed at the top of his lungs.

Vallencie screamed so loudly that his high pitched, squeaky voice echoed throughout the whole of Soul Society. Yumichika shut his ears tight. Vallencie was exactly like Charlotte Cuulhourne, only more annoying and ugly. Ikkaku even turned his head to see what had happened. Grinkke simply remained as devoid of emotion as he had been. He took out his large Zanpakutou and swung is towards Ikkaku. Spotting the giant blade from the corner of his small eyes, Ikkaku quickly reacted to the impending danger and avoided the attack. A small shred of his black pants was brutally separated from him. Grinkke, determined to keep going on the offense, quickly lunged towards Ikkaku and sent a series of slices and slashes flying at him at an unthinkably high speed. Given his huge size, it would be assumed that Grinkke moved slowly and that Ikkaku could beat him in terms of speed easily. However, Grinkke really surprised him. He had an incredible speed for his huge stature and it was almost on par with Ikkaku's speed. Ikkaku instantly realised that he did not have much advantage over Grinkke in terms of speed and had to overpower him in terms of strength.

Yumichika came face to face with a blinding, pink smoke with glitter flying in all directions. He rolled his eyes. Vallencie could not get more dramatic. It was so perturbing, seeing such a hideous sight like him transform with such grand effects. A gentle breeze blew past, blowing the pink smoke away. Right in Yumichika's face stood Vallencie, decked out in a glittery silver mini skirt, glittery sky blue halter neck top and a glittery pink flower in his long purple hair. His eyelashes seemed to have grown longer and curlier, his fingernails were painted with shiny purple nail polish and he even wore a pair of shiny black stilettos. Yumichika was speechless for a moment, before bursting out into laughter and rolling on the ground. His laugh echoed throughout the whole of Soul Society. He laughed till his stomach hurt badly and he was unable to get up. Ikkaku tried to resist the urge to look, fully aware that he had to focus on his battle with Grinkke and that it was not the right time to lose his concentration. He wondered how ridiculous Vallencie would look and expected that he would look so funny, that he would not be able to recover from his laughter.

Twirling a strand of his hair, Vallenice proudly did a twirl to show off his outfit to his opponent.

"Well, Shinigami..." He smirked. "Aren't you stunned by my AMAZING BEAUTIFUL CUTE PRETTY GLAMOROUS VIBRANT UPBEAT HIP FANTASTIC battle outfit, Resurreccion style?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yumichika was still laughing and rolling around on the floor. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! HAHAHA! WHAT A RIDICULOUS OUTFIT!"

Vallencie's proud expression suddenly turned into a furious, annoyed one. It was almost as if fire was burning in the depths of his eyes and his heart was overloaded with extreme anger. Yumichika, too bothered with laughing at such a ridiculous outfit, did not notice the sudden change in Vallencie's face. Vallencie quickly whipped out his blade and slammed it down. Yumichika dodged just in time and his life was spared, but his hair was not. He stared at the few short strands of his raven black hair, lying motionless on the ground. His beautiful hair had been mercilessly chopped off by that... THAT HIDEOUS, WEIRD ARRANCAR! Yumichika clenched his fist tight and grasped the hilt of his Zanpakutou hard. There was no way that he would agree to let Vallencie off the hook for damaging his precious hair. His eyes fixed hard on Vallencie, he released Fuji Kujaku and let his blade spilt into four claw-like blades. Using Shunpo, Yumichika charged towards Vallencie and aimed straight for Vallencie's hair. Vallencie quickly defended his hair and the two continued to exxhange blows with each other, hoping to damage each other's hair or clothes and further provoke each other.

_Sounds like those two are having some sort of cat fight... _Ikkaku sighed on the inside, as he struggled to resist Grinkke's huge blade which was forced against his Houzukimaru. Grinkke had a sly smile plastered all over his face, while he mercilessly forced his blade against Houzukimaru. Ikkaku was well aware that the force applied against his Zanpakutou was more than enough to split his newly released Zanpakutou into pieces.

* * *

Tayomi gripped her Zanpakutou tight as she forced herself up. Even though she managed to decrease the impact of her injury, it was serious enough to torment her while she was lying down. Hitsugaya was able to somehow sense that she was in pain as well, but he knew that there was no way that he would be able to stop her.

"Hey Viquierra..." She muttered, bothering to make eye contact with her opponent. "You're exactly like Ulquiorra, aren't you? Abilities and all..."

"Yes." Viquierra replied in a monotonous voice and nodded. "Yes, we are completely alike."

"Then, you have a second Resurreccion, don't you?"

Viquierra paused for a moment before nodding his head. Hitsugaya and Ichigo both turned to look at Tayomi, both in shock. They had always thought the battle was nearing its end, yet it was far from being over! Tayomi had resolve burning in her eyes and she smiled. Those hours of lying down and analysing her opponent had paid off quite well after all.

"Why don't you release it?"

"Why should I?"

"We're both hiding our powers from each other. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this battle. So, let's end it as quickly as possible."

"Alright. And you, woman, will regret it for the rest of your life."

"Bring it."

Tayomi stepped back and grabbed both Ichigo and Hitsugaya's hands. She gripped it tight as she watched Viquierra's weapons multiply rapidly, his claws grow sharper and his reiatsu grow stronger. A strong gust of wind swept through the entire area. Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo all released their reiatsu at the same time, creating an overpowering wind and causing the ground to shake violently. A pale blue aura, a pale yellow aura and an icy white aura glowed and lighted up the entire Seijotokyorin. The sky darkened instantly and hail began to fall from the sky, while lightning streaked across the navy blue sky continuously. It started to pour heavily and a huge bolt of lightning struck the Seijotokyorin, robbing it of its ceiling and completely taking off the roof. The heavy rain fell on Viquierra, Ichigo, Hitsugaya and Tayomi, all of which were left unbothered by the horrendous weather and were fully focused on their battle.

* * *

"Wow. Tayomi-chan, Hitsugaya-kun and Ichigo-kun... They're really going all out, aren't they?" Ukitake sighed.

"Well, knowing Kurosaki," Ishida spoke as he pushed up his spectacles. "Seeing him release such a massive amount of reiatsu isn't unlike him at all. Considerably flashy in his battle, as per usual."

"Can we just begin fighting already?" Kiiyaa had begun to grow exceedingly restless and impatient. "UGH! I can't be bothered wasting time on you three. La furia de los mares, Shar Fantasma**!"

Mayuri snickered as he watched a long white horn grow out from the top of his opponent's hollow mask. Her New Espada garment transformed, with her skirt growing shorter and the formation of a white fin on her back. Her eyes turned dark blue, likening it to a stormy sea. Her right hand turned into a black, sharp fin. She immediately lunged towards Ishida, who quickly dodged his attack while taking out his Quincy Bow. He decided not to use Seele Schneider yet and leave it for the last. Ukitake took out both of his Zanpakutous and Mayuri simply snickered, slowly unsheathing his Zanpakutou. Both of them did not seem to have any intention of releasing their Shikai yet. Ishida instinctively shot a series of arrows at Kiiyaa, all of which narrowly missed her. She was moving at such an incredibly high speed, that her movements could barely be spotted. Ishida focused harder and shot a thousand arrows at a time, with a few hitting Kiiyaa but only leaving her with minor scratches. Her reaction was fast enough, such that she could use her newly transformed fin to block Ishida's quick arrows. Mentally counting the number of times he could use Seele Schneider, he knew that though things were not looking up, it simply was not the right time to use it now. He persisted with shooting countless arrows, while Ukitake attacked from behind Kiiyaa. Using her large black fin to block out Ishida's arrows, Kiiyaa used her other hand to grab Ukitake's blade. With his eyes widened and his mouth hung agape, Ukitake was clearly shocked by Kiiyaa's incredible show of strength. Using her bare hand to stop his blade without spilling a single drop of blood was an amazing feat. _So, this is the power of the New Espada... _Mayuri instantly interrupted his thoughts by releasing his Shikai and lunging straight for Kiiyaa. The middle blade of his trident pierced right into Kiiyaa's arm and she let out a terrifying, high-pitched scream as blood poured from her wound. At that instant, she realised that not only was her arm injured, it also could not move. Gritting her fist, she used her large black fin and brutally severed her arm, further increasing her power. The ground rumbled as her reiatsu grew stronger. Ishida, Ukitake and Mayuri covered their eyes and bent down, so as not to be swept away by the gale caused by Kiiyaa's newly gained powers.

A black fin grew from the wound where her arm was severed. The fin was razor sharp, with a few tiny spikes at the end. Suddenly, Kiiyaa disappeared into thin air, before coming behind Ishida and sending him flying face-first towards the wall using force from her large fin. Crashing through the wall, Ishida struggled to get up and climb back into the Captains' Assembly Hall, rallying himself to continue the battle. Ukitake gripped his Zanpakutou tight and released his Shikai as well. Kiiyaa quickly released a huge Cero, not expecting Ukitake to absorb it and find her own attack backfiring towards her. She hurriedly dodged, before using Sonido to appear behind Mayuri and attempt to stab him back. Mayuri cackled and sneakily avoided her attack.

"Well then..." He laughed. "Let's bring you back to the lab for a nice round of dissection, shall we?"

* * *

**TRANSLATIONS:  
***Glitter in glory and victory, the Shiny Blossom!  
**Rage the seas, Phantom Shark!

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Finally back from camp :D  
It was quite alright, ignoring the hot weather and all, but it's great to be home XD  
I actually touched a little on Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo's battle in this chapter... I suddenly remembered that Ulquiorra had two releases, thus Viquierra shall have two as well! The battle's far from being over... I already know what to do with the future battle with Aizen though, yay ^.^  
Next chapter, I'll try and bring Hiyori, Urahara and Love's battle to its climax, and Ikkaku and Yumichika's as well!  
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter :D Thanks for reading, please review! Thank you! XD


	56. The Flower & One That's Yet to Bloom

**CHAPTER 56: THE FLOWER AND ONE THAT'S YET TO BLOOM**

Ikkaku was hoping and praying that Grinkke's brute force would not cause his Zanpakutou to be smashed into pieces. Quickly withdrawing his blade and jumping upwards, he lunged towards his opponent at top speed, intending to use the blade of his spear to stab Grinkke. Ikkaku wondered why Grinkke had not even released his Ressureccion, after such a long battle. The battle had been going on and both parties were clearly tired. Yumichika seemed as if his fight was about to end as well. Yumichika and Vallencie were still tearing away at each other violently, while having a heated argument on who had better looks.

"Hey you..." Ikkaku smirked. "Why aren't you releasing your Ressureccion yet?"

Grinkke paused for a moment and a hint of uneasiness appeared on his face for the very first time. Ikkaku was a little taken aback by this. Grinkke was hiding something. He definitely was.

"Why should I release my Ressureccion and waste my power on you?" He snapped back quickly.

"Well, if you aren't going to go all out, I will." Ikkaku sounded completely serious all of a sudden. "The last time I fought for Soul Society, I held back and ended up losing the battle and letting everyone down. This time, it'll be different. I won't disappoint them. In the name of the 11th Division and Soul Society, you'll go down."

A fire suddenly burned in Ikkaku's eyes.

"BANKAI!"

A huge whirlwind appeared, enveloping Ikkaku in it as his Zanpakutou underwent a drastic transformation. Grinkke smirked, wondering what his opponent had in store for him. Ikkaku emerged from the whirlwind, grasping two giant blades resembling a metal spade and had an oversized metal axe-like blade strapped onto his back. Despite its huge size, Grinkke noticed that his opponent was not dragged down by its weight. Inside, he began to panic and wonder if his current strength was enough to bring down his opponent. Yumichika briefly looked away from his hideous opponent and noticed the fact that Grinkke actually looked worried about his battle. Since the battle started, Grinkke had always been filled with confidence in his victory. To see his confidence waiver all of a sudden was much too strange and much to suspiscious. Yumichika did not have time to think it through deeply, as Vallencie came flying towards him, face-first, attempting to slash him. A few strands of his lustrous black hair were cut off in the process, further angering Yumichika. It was definitely time to end it. But first, he had to make sure that he was in a place where he could not be seen. The wind that day was almost non-existent. There had not been a single gust of wind, or even the slightest breeze. It seemed that even the weather was working in his favour.

"Bakudo 21, Sekienton*!"

Investing all his effort into that single Bakudou, Yumichika hoped that the smoke created would hold up long enough for him to finish Vallencie off. That way, both Vallencie and Ikkaku would not be able to see his true Shikai.

"Sakikurue, Ru'iro Kujaku!**"

The blades of his Zanpakutou began to flare up, bursting into a multitude of colours and forming vines, with the same colours seen when light was reflected off a bubble. They stretched and extended themselves, rapidly reaching out for Vallencie. The vines snapped themselves into place, holding Vallencie firmly no matter how much he struggled. Vallencie was shocked. He could not break out of the vines and could only watch in horror, as buds began to form on the vines and he felt his own reiatsu leave his body. It was completely draining and he felt weaker by the second. He did not even have enough energy left in him to scream. Yumichika grinned at him, while heaving a sigh of relief. It seemed that the battle was finally over, as Vallencie took his last breath. He burst into a thousand flower petals just as the last of the red smoke dissipated. Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, Yumichika smiled to himself. _Seems like my beauty outshined yours... _He glanced at Ikkaku, who was already swinging the giant axe-like blade that was once strapped to his back. A strong gale was created by the spinning action of the blade, as the dragon crest engraved on the blade slowly turned crimson red.

The dragon was awakening.

Ikkaku quickly landed a few slashes on his stunned opponent. Grinkke was unable to understand the reasons for the sudden rise in Ikkaku's reiatsu and panicked, leaving himself completely open to attacks. Blood splattered in all directions as Grinkke put up a fierce struggle against his opponent. He watched in horror as the dragon crest gradually turned red. Before he knew it, the dragon crest was fully red and Ikkaku grinned. Using Shunpo, he charged towards Grinkke, hoping to settle things in one shot. Grinkke's eyes widened in horror, right before Ikkaku's sharp blade sliced into his soft flesh and he felt warm blood spill from his chest. He fell onto the ground and his chest heaved heavily, as he gasped for breath. Knowing very well that it would be his last few breaths, Ikkaku decided to ask his opponent a little question.

"So... Why didn't you release your Ressureccion?"

"Because I don't have one." Grinkke quickly spoke, before gulping down another breath of air. "The powers used for my Ressureccion were stripped from me and given to the New Espada, to heighten their powers and abilities. Well... It... Was... A worthy sacrifice... For... Aizen... Sama..."

With that, Grinkke slowly closed his eyelids and his whole body was motionless.

Ikkaku did not flinch. He had witnessed scenes of that sort much too often. Simply letting out a small sigh, he shook his head and turned to face Yumichika. Yumichika smiled and heaved a sigh of relief. At last, their battle was over and a gentle breeze blew past them. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders, but the entire conflict was far from being over. Only one of the New Espada had been defeated and the second New Espada had not made his appearance at all...

* * *

Hiyori stared at Wolffe for a moment, before charging towards him with her giant blade. Urahara simply stood down, avoiding every attack thrown at him and waiting for a good chance to strike his opponent hard. As for Love, he was exactly like Hiyori and gave his opponent all that he had, throwing almost every attack that he was familiar with at Wolffe. Wolffe continued to appear not the least impressed and yawned, while dodging the attacks to the best of his abilities and firing Ceros one after the other.

"Nake, Benihime!"

A blast of red energy was fired right behind Wolffe and it spread over a wide area, almost completely enveloping Wolffe in it. Wolffe made a quick attempt to escape, but still received a considerable amount of damage in the process. _Looks like I'll have to watch out for that guy... He seems to be much more of a threat compared to the other two. Guess I'll have to see how drastically they change after they put on their hollow masks! _At the exact same moment, Hiyori decided to put on her hollow mask. Her skeletal mask with red diamond marks and a sharp horn appeared on her face and she instantly released her Shikai. Love sighed. Hiyori was definitely eager to end the battle as quickly as possible. But he had to admit that he shared the same sentiments as well. Shrugging his shoulders, he gripped the hilt of his Zanpakutou tightly and put on his hollow mask as well. His hollow mask resembled a traditional Japanese Oni mask which hid most of his face, except for the fierceness and resolution burning in his eyes.

"Uchikudake, Tengumaru!"

His dense thin blade instantly transformed into a large black blade, with a round shape and sharp spikes covering it. The blade was so huge that it towered over Love himself, but he was able to withstand its increased weight and swung his blade around violently, but with precise aim and grace as well. Wolffe hid the fact that he was surprised, secretly impressed by Love's brute strength. Swinging Tengumaru upwards towards the sky, Wolffe watched as the blade burst into bright orange flames and Love pointed his blade at him. His heart started to palpitate at a faster rate, as a huge ball of fire was sent flying towards him at an incredibly high speed. Wolffe quickly dodged it, unaware that Urahara had something up his sleeve and was right behind him.

"Hisaobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi!***" Urahara spoke calmly and confidently.

Urahara created a red mesh net and threw it over Wolffe using the tip of his blade, successfully entangling and trapping Wolffe in it. Stabbing the net, red orbs began to appear and ignite itself, bursting into violent flames one after the other. Urahara smirked. Love and Hiyori were acting as recklessly as they usually did in battle, charging after the enemy and violently attacking Wolffe without thinking of the consequences or taking any possible precautions. Hiyori and Love watched closely as Wolffe took a huge blow from Urahara's attack, causing him to be severely injured. Hiyori had always questioned her ex-Captain, who appeared to be so laidback that at first glance, everyone would doubt his abilities as not only a Captain, but also a Shinigami. Love was still stunned, but he knew that that was made Urahara such an impressive Shinigami and made him one of the most talented (if not, the most talented) Shinigami Soul Society had seen in years. Having the ability to understand his opponent quickly and come up with a successful counterattack needed pure talent. Urahara walked up to Wolffe calmly, staring at his injured and bleeding opponent.

"Well, though I'm just the owner of a candy store, I should just tell you once again..." Urahara's light-hearted expression turned into a serious one all of a sudden. "Don't underestimate us Shinigami... And that goes for the Vizards too. Never underestimate them."

**

* * *

**

OMAKE: Hitsugaya's Birthday!

_Well, today's our favourite child prodigy's birthday!  
So here's a little omake segment. _

Hitsugaya sat on the roof of his office at night, staring up at the bright, glowing moon. He hugged his knees, wondering where Tayomi had disappeared to for the entire afternoon. She'd usually tell him where she went if she intended to leave the office, even for a little while. Suddenly, he felt something grab his waist and he almost fell backwards.

"Susu-chan..." A very familiar voice whispered. "Happy birthday!"

Hitsugaya turned behind to see Tayomi smiling at him. Today's smile was surprisingly...cheeky.

"Thanks." He smiled back at her and turned away.

"Eh, don't I deserve something a little more?"

Hitsugaya kissed her on the forehead.

"YAY! Good boy. Now follow me!"

Tayomi dragged him all the way down into his own office in the 10th Division's headquarters. Hitsugaya nearly had a heart attack when he saw Matsumoto down there, waving wildly at him. Hinamori stood there, smiling at him. Ukitake was here as well, all ready to give him candy. Shaking his head, Hitsugaya could not help but smile. He squeezed Tayomi's hand tight and let her drag him towards them.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HITSUGAYA-KUN!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAICHO!" Matsumoto rushed forward to give him a tight hug.

Everyone else joined in the hug and Hitsugaya nearly got squeezed to death.

(**Matsumoto: **That's part one of Taicho's present! HEH HEH!)

Matsumoto brought out the ice cream cake with Hitsugaya's face on it. Hitsugaya raised his eyebrow. He had quite a clear idea whose idea it was and glanced at Tayomi, who was giggling away.

Ukitake thrust a whole hamper of candy to Hitsugaya.

Hinamori presented him a present from Matsumoto and her, and bugged him to open it. Hitsugaya sighed and opened the box, staring at its contents blankly. Inside the box lay a shiny pair of white handcuffs. He stared at it and the handcuffs stared back at him.

"What...is...this...for..?"

"Well, Rangiku-chan said you'd love it, so I decided to trust her!" Hinamori laughed.

"Stupid bed-wetter. Since when were her words trustworthy?" Hitsugaya snapped.

"Aww Taicho, no getting grumpy on your birthday!" Matsumoto scolded him, before running up to whisper into his ear. "You can use them against Yomi-chan when she misbehaves...Heh heh!"

"You pervert. As if I'd have much use for it."

_Speaking of Tayomi... Where is she?_

"And on behalf of Yomi-chan," Hinamori smiled. "I'll pass this to you!"

Hinamori handed him an ice-blue pen and a photo frame, containing the picture of her, him, Shikuri and Hitsumi.

"Anyway Taicho, your last present is in that box over there!" Matsumoto interrupted his train of thoughts and pointed at a huge box in the corner of the room. "Goodnight Taicho! Happy birthday! Hope you like my little present!"

Matsumoto, Hinamori and Ukitake left the room. Smiling to herself, Matsumoto locked the doors to her Captain's office from the outside and giggled to herself.

"So, what was inside that box?"

"Yeah, and where's Tayomi-chan?"

Matsumoto grinned. "You'll know tomorrow."

Hitsugaya stared at the large, strange box. It was tipped on its side and looked as if it was asking him to open it. Sighing, he opened the box and a body fell out of it, giving him his second heart attack for the day. He quickly carried the body to the sofa and brushed away the girl's long black hair.

"Tayomi? What the hell are you doing in there?"

Tayomi did not reply and her eyes were closed. Hitsugaya found a note in her hands and quickly read it.

"_Hi Taicho! I assumed you've opened the box! I hope you like it! Tayomi-chan, all knocked out by a drop of super strong sake! I always see you staring at her whenever she sleeps so... Have fun watching her sleep at night!"_

Hitsugaya clenched his fists tight and let out the loudest scream ever.

"MATSU...MATSU...MATSUMOTOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

**

* * *

**

TRANSLATION:

*Red Smoke Escape  
**Split and deviate, Azure Peacock!  
*** Fire-playing, Crimson Princess, Beaded Mesh

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**YAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HITSU-CHAN! :D  
Tayomi wishes you the same thing and hopes you like the pen she gave you.  
I'm quite sure staring at Tayomi's fun ^.^  
Anyways so that's almost the end to Wolffe and the 2nd New Espada will appear in the next chapter! :D  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter XD Thanks for reading! Please review! :D


	57. End of the Phantom Shark

**CHAPTER 57: END OF THE PHANTOM SHARK**

A bespectacled man with light purple, shoulder length hair strolled onto the massive cliff overlooking the whole of Soul Society, known as Sokyoku Hill. He placed his right hand into the right pocket of his New Espada's uniform, using his left hand to flick his lustrous hair and snickered. Even though two of his comrades had passed on in battle, it was none of his concern to him. He did not feel a tinge of sadness and their deaths meant nothing to him. His comrades were not his concern. Instead, it was interesting specimens that concerned and fascinated him. He had a strong desire to cut open and dissect a Shinigami's body, preferably a highly ranked Shinigami. A seated officer, a Lieutenant, a Captain... Maybe even the Captain-commander. All sounded equally mind-boggling to him and the thought of dissecting it sent a wave of excitement through his blood. Such an amusing thought made him giggle to himself uncontrollably.

"Eh... Giggling all of a sudden?" Shinji smirked. "Hey, share the joke with us... New Espada."

"Yeah, be a lil' nicer ta us, Heryanna-chan!" Ichimaru chuckled, about to place his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutou.

"Huh..." Byakuya rolled his eyes. "I'd appreciate it if you two could be more serious about this and act more honourably during battle..."

"Oops! Then sorry, Kuchiki Taicho!" Ichimaru smiled, speaking with a cheeky voice.

Heryanna raised his eyebrow, with a sceptical look on his face. Out of nowhere, three mysterious men had appeared. One had short blonde hair, wore an orange button-down shirt and black trousers. He looked sneaky, as he grinned, showing his set of white teeth. Another was dressed in the usual black Shinigami robes, but with the white Captain's haori as well. He had long black hair and wore a stoic expression on his face. As for the third man, he had silver hair and his eyes were closed. He wore a classic white button-down shirt, with the long sleeves folded up, and he wore ordinary blue jeans. To Heryanna, only the Shinigami Captain appeared threatening. As for the other two, they were quite ambiguous and he was unable to give a rough estimate of their strength by looking at their appearance.

_Hm... Heryanna-chan seems ta be gauging our strength by looking at our clothes... Heh, I bet Heryanna-chan doesn't recognise meh. After all, he's never met meh before. Once tha dust cleared and Aizen chose them, they were locked up in one of tha towers in Las Noches and given new powers. Then, they trained intensively, for tha sake of this battle and learning how ta handle their newfound powers. Heh, I wonder what he'll say when I tell him who I am? _Ichimaru smiled.

"Hey Heryanna-chan... Do ya know who I am?"

Heryanna raised an eyebrow and snickered, with a strong hint of haughtiness in his voice. "How should it concern me?"

"It will. I'll tell ya once we're done with ya, how 'bout that?" Ichimaru grinned.

"Sure. I'll let you talk before I cut you three open and observe your corpses." Heryanna took up the challenge, confident that he would emerge victorious and have three corpses ready for him to dissect after the battle.

Byakuya, Shinji and Ichimaru all unsheathed their Zanpakutous simultaneously. Shinji put on his hollow mask and charged towards Heryanna, slashing him right across his chest. Shinji began to smell a rat. There was no way that a New Espada would allow himself to receive damage so easily and without putting up a fight.

Unless, it was a trap...

He quickly turned behind to see a second Heryanna flying towards him at a speed beyond a normal Arrancar's capability, with his Zanpakutou unsheathed and aimed right for him. Quickly whipping out his blade, Shinji resisted the grinning New Espada and pushed him away using brute force. Heryanna was sent flying backwards and landed silently on a wall, before pushing off and this time heading for Ichimaru. Ichimaru grinned and used his blade to defend himself as well. At the exact same moment, Byakuya appeared behind Heryanna and used Hado 73, Soren Sokatsui against Heryanna. Ichimaru opened his eyes and quickly dodged, once he noticed the furious blue blasts of energy heading right for him and Heryanna. He landed neatly beside Byakuya and sighed.

"Are ya tryin' ta kill meh, Kuchiki Taicho?" He joked.

"No." Byakuya replied in a calm voice. "I was aiming for the enemy."

"Think ya could watch your aim next time?"

"Do not question my abilities." Byakuya snapped. "As the head of the Kuchiki family, I can guarantee you that I have precise aim. That, I swear, on my pride and honour and the head of the Kuchiki family, the Captain of the 6th Division and as a Shinigami."

"Heh!" Shinji laughed. "You're just like your grandfather, Ginrei. Always so serious and rambling on and on about your pride and honour."

"Unlike the two of you, I have my pride and honour..."

Ichimaru and Shinji gritted their teeth.

"Ya wanna repeat that?"

* * *

Ishida whipped out the first Seele Schneider from his pocket and quickly hooked it to he invisible elastic fibres of his Ginrei Kojaku Pulling back the Seele Schneider with all his strength, he took his aim and shot it right at Kiiyaa's leg, hoping to hinder her movement. At the same time, he knew that Kiiyaa could not sever her leg, since it would make dashing around even more difficult for her. He pushed his spectacles higher up his nose bridge, smiling to himself. With that, he had just forced the enemy to bear with her injuries and attempt to pull through the pain while in a fierce, crucial battle. Kiiyaa grabbed her leg and screamed as a sharp pain ran through her entire leg. Red blood ran from her wounds and dripped down her legs, resembling a clear waterfall infested with red dye. Her eyes burned with rage and she glared right at Ishida. Ignoring the pain running through her veins, she lunged forward at Ishida, only to come face-to-face with Mayuri's blade. She stopped herself just in time and jumped backwards, while firing a dark blue Cero. Ukitake quickly jumpred in and absorbed the Cero, adding in his own powers and firing it back at her. Even though her mobility had just been limited, Kiiyaa managed to dodge the attack narrowly and instantly realised that using Ceros were not a viable option against the three of her opponents. Her black fin began to glow, with a dark blue aura surrounding it.

"Cascada."

A large swirl of dark blue water compacted itself at the tip of her fin, before being fired. The swirl of water headed right for the three of them at the speed of light, enveloping them in it. The violent waters crashed against Ukitake, Ishida and Mayuri, leaving them no space to retaliate, move and perhaps, even breathe. Ukitake knew that his Sogyo no Kotowari did not have the capacity to absorb such attacks. Mayuri was snickering in delight inside and thought hard, clearly aware that he probably had many benefits to reap if he defeated the 5th New Espada. She would definitely make a very interesting specimen to dissect. As for Ishida, he was fully concentrating on finding a way to get out of the swirling spiral of death. If they did not get out of it soon enough, Kiiyaa's attack would catch them and hit them hard. They would probably never escape and lose their lives. But, it was too early for the battle to end. He could only hope that Kiiyaa would trigger the trap soon enough. At the same time, he hoped that her attack power would be tied to the degree of her injuries. Suddenly, he felt the swirl of dark waters dwindle and die out. His eyes also managed to detect a bright blue light and he smirked. It had worked. The trap had been triggered.

While the waters died down, he stared as Kiiyaa looked around wildly, staring at the five Seele Schneiders which shot five rays of blue energy towards the center, with it being her. A pentagon-shaped seal was created and the area was enveloped by a bright blue light. A giagantic explosion occurred and Kiiyaa's deafening scream echoed throughout the Captain's assembly hall. Ishida gripped his Ginrei Kojaku, fully aware that it was not enough to completely finish Kiiyaa off. As he expected, Kiiyaa emerged from the center of the attack, still alive and kicking. However, she was bleeding all over. Even her black fin had lost all of its spikes and her reiatsu seemed to have grown significantly weaker. Not much energy needed to be invested in order to finish her off.

Mayuri quickly took advantage of the staggering Kiiyaa and stabbed her quickly in the legs, paralysing her such that she was unable to escape the next round of attacks. Ukitake quickly swooped in and launched a series of slashes on Kiiyaa while he still had the chance.

"Licht Regen!"

Ishida shot a whole volley of light blue arrows at Kiiyaa, positive that it would ultimately finish her off. Kiiyaa, unable to dodge the incoming attacks, took in all of the attacks without moving an inch. She felt the impact of the arrows and her injuries all come together, creating an unbearable, stinging pain which ran through her entire body. Suddenly, she felt rather peaceful, as her whole body lost its energy and fell to the floor. She stared at the rubble right in front of her face and her urge to fight just disappeared. Ishida peered over at his lifeless opponent and sighed.

_Aizen-sama... I'm sorry. I guess you were right. I should... I should've been more wary of my opponents and watch out for traps._

Once Kiiyaa took her last breath, the three of them heaved a sigh of relief. Mayuri bent down to observe Kiiyaa and cackled.

"Ah, that was simple. Looks like I'll have a new specimen to dissect. NEMU!"

"Yes, Mayuri-sama."

"Carry her back to the lab."

"Yes, Mayuri-sama."

Nemu picked up Kiiyaa and headed towards the 12th Division's headquarters, following behind Mayuri. Ukitake and Ishida both raised their eyebrows, puzzled by Mayuri's eccentric behaviour, even though they knew that he had always been strange. Ishida sighed. At least, their battle had finally concluded. He closed his eyes and relaxed, wondering how things were on Ichigo's end.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well, so that's the end of Kiiyaa T.T  
Next chapter, I'll continue Heryanna's and Viquierra's fight! Heryanna's release! :D  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! Thanks for reading! :D  
Oh and not forgetting... Happy holidays! ^.^


	58. Newfound Resolve

**CHAPTER 58: NEWFOUND RESOLVE**

"Ikorose, Shinso!"

Ichimaru's blade extended itself at a frightening speed, headed right for Heryanna. Using his bare arm, Heryanna smirked and blocked his blade, not even shedding a single drop of blood. Ichimaru's eyebrows were raised in shock and he quickly retracted his blade, as Shinji leapt out from behind and aimed to slash Heryanna. Byakuya, determined not to be left out in such an important battle, continued to fire his usual series of Hado and Bakudo spells. White flashes, blue balls of energy and blinding yellow streaks of light continued to shoot forth from the tip of his finger. Heryanna yawned, expressing his rather obvious boredom in combat. He grasped Shinji's blade and flung it backwards, with Shinji flying along with it. Doing a flip in the air, Shinji landed against the ground, sliding backwards and crushing the earth under his feet, leaving behind a scar on the once smooth rock. He could feel the soles of his feet burning up, but it was not the time to bother about such trivial things. Dashing forward, he lunged at Heryanna and aimed for his legs, intending to immobilise him. Ichimaru dashed forward as well, hoping to catch Heryanna in the middle. All of a sudden, Heryanna disappeared. Both Ichimaru and Shinji stared at each other in bewilderment for a moment, before they felt something slash their backs at the exact same time. _It can't be! How can there be two of him at the same time? _Shinji felt the blood rush from his wounds and stick to the back of his orange shirt. Ichimaru looked up and opened his eyes wide for the first time in the entire battle. His heart took a shock as he saw two Heryannas standing side by side. It was impossible. It could not be. When they began the battle, there was only one of him. Why were there two of him now..?

"You're surprised, aren't you, Shinigami?" Both Heryannas smirked.

"Uhm. I'm not a Shinigami." Shinji huffed, before cringing, due to the pain caused by his injuries.

"Whatever." They waved their hands leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world. "Say hello to my twin! I secretly split myself into two during our battle. He's a spitting image of me, don't you think? Now this game will be more fun! Besides having to continue making your futile attempts to kill me, you'll have to figure out which one is the real me... Isn't that just wonderful?"

"Yeah." Shinji pouted. "As wonderful as having Hiyori slap me everyday, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."

Byakuya remained as stoic as ever and simply watched as the two Heryannas split up. He chased one of them, while Ichimaru and Shinji hunted down the other. Unsheathing his Zanpakutou, he released Senbonzakura and let his blade split into tiny pink flower petals, which floated in the breeze and soared towards Heryanna. He watched as the flower petals sliced through his opponent's flesh. Smirking, Heryanna smiled as he watched Byakuya's attack merely give him a few scratches here and there. Byakuya gritted his teeth, not expecting Heryanna to have such a high durability. But then again, he was facing the 2nd New Espada after all. If he was not powerful at all, then that would mean that Aizen had gone mad and mixed up the order of the New Espada. According to the current updates he received, the time taken to defeat the 3rd, 4th and 5th New Espadas took close to a third of a day. Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo were the first to start their battle with the 1st New Espada, yet there had not been news of their opponent's defeat, nor any updates on the status of their battle. He expected that the battle would be a lot longer than his battle with Zonmari Leroux. Shinji contemplated using his Shikai for a moment, but decided against it. He wanted to use his Shikai only at the most crucial moment and it was probably too early in the battle for that. He glanced at Ichimaru, then at Byakuya. He wondered if Byakuya would be able to handle it. Having a one-on-one with Heryanna was particularly dangerous... Heryanna was already a threat when he had not released his Resurreccion.

Just then, two mysterious figures entered the area. One rushed to join Byakuya's side, while the other walked towards Shinji and Ichimaru, who were grinning.

"Onii-sama!"

"Rukia, why are you here?"

"I want to help you..." Rukia replied, nodding her head. "I've fought off the hollows in the area."

"There should be more roaming around."

"Tayomi Taicho instructed me to help you out after I was done with my area. I've been training with her for the past few months, training for this battle. She told me that I've improved a lot. So I will fight, and you can't stop me!"

Byakuya was slightly taken aback by Rukia's newfound resolve, but did not object and simply sighed.

"Ah...Tayomi-chan's best friend! You're here!" Ichimaru chuckled.

"Who's that?" Shinji questioned the brown-haired girl with a long loose braid tied to the side and pale green eyes.

"My name is Makoto Kiseida, 3rd seat of the 9th Squad."

"Long time no see, Kiseida-chan!" Ichimaru laughed.

"Yeah! When Tayomi explained to me about you, I was really shocked at first. But I'm glad you're not a bad guy... We'd rather have an ally than an enemy." Kiseida smiled. "Anyway, enough of this little chit chat. Let's take this guy down."

Kiseida unsheathed her Zanpakutou quickly and charged towards a grinning Heryanna.

* * *

Tayomi gripped the hilt of her Zanpakutou as she was blinded by a bright white light. She knew that at that exact moment, Viquierra was releasing his second Resurreccion. Just as she thought that her battle was nearing its end, it was so far from being over. When the lights died down, Tayomi slowly opened her eyes to face her newly-transformed opponent. Nothing much changed, just that his hair grew longer and his wings were spread wider. His green eyes turned into a stormy green shade and his fingernails were more than sharp enough to stab a hole through the toughest material. She noticed an extremely sharp increase in his reiatsu, to the point that it was most frightening. Looking down at her injury, she knew that using Bankai would definitely be a very last resort. She was not in shape to use her alternate Shikai either, as if would probably aggravate her injury. Deciding to stay in her current original Shikai, she glanced at Ichigo and Hitsugaya. Once the dust cleared, she rushed forward at top speed and quickly slashed Viquierra, only to hear the clashing sounds of their blades and notice herself fly past him. Turning behind, she realised that she had not inflicted a single scratch on him. In fact, not only was he left without injury, she could feel blood dripping from her left arm. Ichigo, with his hollow mask put on, sent a Getsuga Tenshou flying at Viquierra and distracted him, while Hitsugaya flew around the area, setting up Sennen Hyoro. Tayomi returned to the heart of the battle quickly, aiming from her current position.

"Datsu!"

A whole group of lightning darts soared through the air, with one of them successfully piercing Viquierra's left wing. The lightning ran throughout the veins in his wing, erupting into a furious lightning storm. Before anyone knew it, blood burst from the wounds in his wing, before it finally disintegrated and was blown away with the wind.

"Ropu!"

The center black blade transformed into a long rope, built up by lightning. Waving her arm, the lightning rope lashed out towards Viquierra, slashing him across his right wing. Viquierra simply watched both his wings disintegrate, without a single shred of emotion on his face. He used Sonido to dash around the room and Ichigo followed him, right on his tail. Tayomi watched out for them, making sure that they would not hinder Hitsugaya's preparations. She glanced at him for a moment and closed her eyes. It was about time now. He should be done in a couple of minutes and she hoped that the battle could come to a close though she doubted it would. Viquierra still seemed as energetic as he was at the start of their battle, while they were exhausted. But they had to keep it up and fight for the sake of Soul Society.

Tayomi glanced at Hitsugaya again. He nodded at her, before shouting out his command.

"SENNEN HYORO!"

The giant, tall pillars of ice towered over Viquierra, who appeared to be an ant compared to those large ice towers. The icy towers swivelled around Viquierra, before shutting itself tight around Viquierra, completely trapping and encasing him in the ice. Silence ensued for a few seconds as the three of them held their breath, wondering what would happen next. Unfortunately, a loud crash echoed throughout the vicinity and Viquierra emerged from the ice towers which he had shattered. He was bleeding all over, but still seemed to be able to continue their battle. He smirked, before producing a huge green lance, reinforced by pale green lightning. Raising the lance, he threw it effortlessly and watched as the lance sped towards his pitiful opponents. Hitsugaya, Ichigo and Tayomi quickly dodged the incoming lance. The huge lance suddenly turned and sped towards Tayomi.

_Oh darn! That thing... It's a homing device!_

"TAYOMI!"

"SAKURI-SAN!"

"I'm alright!" Tayomi quickly replied, dashing around in a haphazard manner using Shunpo. "You two go for Viquierra! I'll stop this thing somehow!"

Hitsugaya clenched his fist before nodding at Ichigo, both of them going on offense. They attempted to slash and injure Viquierra to the best of their abilities, launching attacks one after the other. Tayomi looked behind her and watched as the bright green lance closed in on her. She could feel her injuries affect her speed and stamina, while she began to slow down. On the other hand, the deadly weapon was slowly closing in on her. She had doubts... Many doubts. She did not think that she would be able to keep it up for long and she had to do something quick. There was no way she would allow herself to end her battle so quickly. Every weapon had a weakness. Surely, there was something that could stop Viquierra's weapon?

Something... Something that could block it...

Suddenly, a deafening crash was heard. The sound of lightning bolts rattled in the atmosphere. Hitsugaya and Ichigo turned behind, steering their attention away from their combat for a moment. Hitsugaya gasped.

"Tayomi..."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Sorry for the late post, school just started T.T  
I'm actually a senior now! *SHOCK* I can't believe time passed so quickly!  
Anyways, we shall have Heryanna release his Ressurreccion next :D And find out what happened to Tayomi, so stay tuned!  
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter :D Please review! Thanks! ^.^


	59. Heryanna's Release

**CHAPTER 59: HERYANNA'S RELEASE**

Kiseida quickly dodged the debris that Heryanna sent flying at her. She noticed that the Heryanna she was facing seemed rather affected by the sudden entrance of Rukia and her. Deciding to try and use it to her greatest advantage, she jumped over the last of the flying debris and used it as a platform, kicking hard against the large rock and sending herself flying towards her opponent. While in the air, she placed her palm against the blade of her Zanpakutou and watched as it became engulfed in its pale blue flames.

"Raifuru moe, Hageshiku Moeru*!"

Kiseida's whole Zanpakutou transformed into a black rifle, with its blue flames burning brightly all over. The hilt of her Zanpakutou had shrunk to form the trigger of the rifle, which Kiseida gripped tightly. Though her rifle appeared rather heavy, she was able to handle its weight and held it with one hand only, instead of the usual two hands. Kiseida sighed as she remembered her early years with Tayomi in the Gotei 13, including the time when they had nearly been assassinated by Aizen's henchmen while away on the Special Training Program. Those times were really tough for them. Even though they had to focus on getting well and surviving in the Human world, there was simply no possibility of them forgetting to train at least once a day.

"_Kiseida-chan! Is that your Bankai?" Tayomi beamed._

"_No, of course not! As if I could achieve Bankai before you did!" Kiseida cheered. "I finally achieved my Shikai!"_

"_Eh... But wasn't it like, throwing balls of fire around and razing the ground?" Tayomi raised an eyebrow at her, before jumping onto the bed and peering at her best friend._

"_That... it wasn't my true Shikai. I thought it was my Shikai at first... But right after a visit into my inner world, I realised that it was my half-achieved Shikai. Well, now that I've finally and truly completed my Shikai, I hope it'll be more powerful than before!"_

"_Yup!" Tayomi nodded eagerly. "That way, once we get back, we can protect everyone... And do it more effectively this time!"_

"_Aww... But you have someone to protect you!" Kiseida nudged her playfully._

"_Ugh!" Tayomi cheekily slapped her on the back. "He might not even remember me when we return...IF we return. But I think we will!"_

"_It's alright! He'll remember for sure! Anyway, enough of all this talk, let's get back to training!"_

"_RIGHT!"_

Quickly raising her rifle and aiming straight for Heryanna, Kiseida pulled the trigger quickly, sending out several blue blasts of fire from the mouth of her rifle. Heryanna grinned and quickly dodged the impending attacks from his new opponent. Ichimaru smiled. Kiseida had really improved and grown stronger over the years. Determined not to lose out in battle, Shinji dashed towards Heryanna, with his Zanpakutou aimed at his head. Heryanna slashed both Shinji and Kiseida with such speed, that both of them did not even notice that they had been injured by him until a few seconds later. Staring down at their wounds, they quickly retreated, landing beside Ichimaru. Heryanna merely had a small cut on his arm and his left shoulder.

"Well, how's that?" Heryanna smirked. "I'm currently in the midst of my Ressurreccion... Mine takes a little longer to be fully released. It's half-released now, enjoying it so far?"

_What's with this guy? He's crazy! _Kiseida grasped her arm as blood literally spilled from her wounds. She had sustained quite a deep cut and she knew that holding it there would not stop the bleeding. Slowly, she let go, exposing her wound to the air and her hand full of her own blood. Shinji glared at the cackling Heryanna, as blood poured from his left shoulder. Gripping his Zanpakutou even more tightly than before, he rushed towards Heryanna again, with Ichimaru following right behind him. Opening his eyes Ichimaru released Shinso and had it shoot straight out at top speed, heading straight for Heryanna's chest. However, he only managed to land a scrape on Heryanna's right arm, before he felt a sharp blade rip through his right arm. At that moment, he knew that it was too late. Heryanna's speed had increased drastically and his movements got quicker and quicker with every passing second. If they did not defeat him soon, trying to bring him down would be impossible. Racking his brains hard, Ichimaru tried to figure out the mechanism of Heryanna's him down would become more and more difficult, to the point that it could eve Ressurreccion. Surely there had to be some sort of trick to his attacks. There was no such thing as an 'undefeatable enemy'. Also, if they could not even defeat his underlings, there was no way they could defeat Aizen. No matter what, they had to get rid of Heryanna if they wanted a decent chance at defeating Aizen. Ichimaru started to contemplate using his Bankai and stared as his surroundings. The area they were fighting in were not exactly full of obstacles (which would have worked in his favour), but it was definitely large enough to create an impact on his opponent.

"Bankai." He grinned.

He watched as his blade underwent a transformation, turning into a short, dagger-like Zanpakutou. Fully aware of the abilities of his Bankai, as well as the psychological and physical impact it could have on Heryanna, Ichimaru was confident that perhaps, they could secure a win for this battle.

* * *

An awkward and abrupt silence filled the room. Everything was still. Hitsugaya and Ichigo stood rooted to the ground and stopped everything they were doing, their heads turned in the direction of the noise. Even Viquierra stood still and simply stared, with his typical blank gaze. Hitsugaya could feel cold beads of sweat running down the side of his face and his body freeze, unable to move an inch. That deafening crash... It came from her. His heart started to beat loudly and quickly, just like the numerous hooves of wild horses beating the ground. As much as he was curious to find out what had happened to her, inside, fear was creeping into his heart as well. What if things had taken a turn for the worse?

"Inazuma... Arashi."

Hitsugaya sighed and Ichigo heaved a sigh of relief. Tayomi stood in a distant corner, relatively far away from them, but still within their sight. A bright yellow orb of lightning surrounded her, protecting her from harm and keeping the green lances at bay. With a swing of her Zanpakutou, the orb let out a strong bolt of lightning, shattering the green lances into pieces. Ignoring her injuries completely, Tayomi had activated her Bankai. It was worrying, since Tayomi herself was not sure how long she could hold out. _I'll just have to play a little with my luck then... And take some chances! _Hitsugaya shook his head. It was just like her to put her own life on the line in order to protect others.

With the shattered bits of the green lance on the ground, Tayomi diverted her full attention to Viquierra and dashed towards him, her lightning blade raised above her head. Hitsugaya proceeded with setting up his Sennen Hyoro, while Ichigo joined Tayomi and sent Getsuga Tenshou flying right at Viquierra. With two attacks aimed right at him, Viquierra quickly sped away using Sonido, narrowly escaping the black blast of energy and the rope of lightning. Biting her lip, she realised that Viquierra's speed had been increasing by the second and feared that if they did not get the job done quickly enough, the whole area would be reduced to rubble. With all of their Bankais out, there was nothing much to do except to fight hard and pray that everything went smoothly and the way they wanted it to be. However, Viquierra had been consistently dodging all of their attacks. Their only hope now was for Hitsugaya to set up his Sennen Hyoro as quickly as possible to end the brutal battle.

"Sennen Hyoro!"

Numerous towers of ice formed a circle around Viquierra, before snapping themselves tight on him, trapping and encasing him in the ice. Just when they thought they had to wait for a while before determining their success, the ice cracked immediately. The ice shattered into pieces, flying outwards with force as Viquierra emerged, completely unharmed. His eyes were glowing red and he had all sorts of blood red daggers raised above his head. With a wave of his hand, the daggers flew towards Tayomi, Hitsugaya and Ichigo at an incredibly inhuman speed. All three of them quickly used Shunpo to dodge, using all of their energy to prevent themselves from getting anymore injuries. Tayomi's injuries were starting to sting really badly and she could feel a surge of pain run through her whole body, almost consuming it in the process. Gritting her teeth, she continued dodging until all the daggers had run out and were trapped in the rubble. She lifted up her sleeve briefly and stared at the emblem of a tulip marked on her skin, glowing a pale fiery orange. _No... I can't use it now. It's supposed to be saved for the final battle. I have to keep myself alive with my own basic abilities now._

"Hado 91, Senju Koten Taiho!"

She lined her entire blade with the Hado spell and combined it with the power from the lightning bolts enveloping her Zanpakutou. With a wave of her blade, she sent the bright yellow blast of energy flying at Viquierra. Spotting the incoming attack, he quickly dodged, not realising that Ichigo had gotten right behind him, directly hitting him with a Getsuga Tenshou, dealing a considerable amount of damage. Blood spurted out from Viquierra's back and Hitsugaya used Ryuusenka on his shocked opponent. Viquierra readied his daggers and his lances, sending them towards both Hitsugaya and Ichigo. He sent a homing lance towards Tayomi, as he was unable to track her down.

All of a sudden, he heard a strange fizzing noise. He turned around and his eyes widened at the sight of his green lance crumbling, right as it came into contact with the lightning orb surround Tayomi. Brushing her hand against her sharpened blade, her eyes began to glow pale purple and her yellow reiatsu began to leak. Hitsugaya and Ichigo stared at her, hoping that her attack would deal enough damage to weaken Viquierra greatly and ensure that the battle would work against his flow, allowing them to emerge victorious more easily and end the battle for once and for all.

"Dageki, Inazuma Arashi."

**

* * *

**

TRANSLATION:

*Burn wildly, Blazing rifle!

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**OMG this came out so late... Sorry for the late updates, school had been getting really crazy these few weeks T.T  
But at least it's finally done! :D After a few weeks...  
I'm going to focus on Heryanna's battle for the next chapter and do a quick check on Aizen XD  
Thanks for reading! Please review :D Stay tuned ^.^


	60. Heryanna's End, Aizen's Plans

**CHAPTER 60: HERYANNA'S END, AIZEN'S PLANS**

"Kamishini no Yari." Ichimaru opened his eyes, revealing his crystal blue eyes for a second and letting Heryanna see them blaze with fury.

Byakuya turned his head and smirked upon seeing Ichimaru's Bankai. He looked down at his Zanpakutou and gripped it tightly. He looked up and faced the second Heryanna, unsure if it was the real Heryanna. One way or the other, he knew that having two Heryannas around would be absolutely troublesome for them and that the two would have a rather clear distinction in terms of power. There was no way that his clone could be as powerful as the real Heryanna. Wondering if the Heryanna he was facing was the real one, he knew that there was only one way to find out. _You won't be the only one getting serious here. I can swear this, on the pride of the Kuchiki Family._

"Bankai."

Byakuya dropped his blade vertically down into the ground and watched as it phased into the ground. Energy ripples appeared on the ground, before the whole area around Byakuya and Heryanna darkened and the two were surrounded by an immeasurable number of blades.

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Gokei."

The blades scattered to form numerous pink petals and formed a spherical pattern around Heryanna, leaving him no room to escape or whatsoever. Heryanna could only watch helplessly as the petal-like blades headed right for him, slicing through his flesh regardless of the direction and distance. Byakuya quickly used Shunpo, dragging Rukia away with him and motioning for Ichimaru, Shinji and Kiseida to keep their distance. A scream was heard and the five of them stayed down, trying to withstand the massive shockwave. When the dust cleared, they got up slowly, only to have their eyes greet a completely-transformed Heryanna.

"So then, the one I had defeated was your clone." Byakuya muttered to himself.

"You're absolutely right! As expected of the Captain of the 6th Division!" Heryanna chuckled with a hint of malice in his voice. "You were right! There is a distinct difference in power between my clone and I... In terms of durability, that is! An attack like that would have only left the real me with a few cuts! Now then, I'll have to thank you, because I was able to completely release my Resurreccion! Are you ready to die a spectacular death?"

Kiseida raised her rifle and Rukia raised her Sode no Shirayuki. Nodding at each other, they dashed forward, beginning an all-out offense on their opponent. Throwing up her rifle and waving her arm horizontally, a huge burst of fire emerged from the mouth of her rifle, shooting out violently and enveloping Heryanna in the flames. Catching her rifle in her right hand, she watched as Rukia dashed ahead of her.

"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki!"

Her sealed Zanpakutou transformed into a slender, white blade with a white hilt and tsuba, once she turned her Zanpakutou counter-clockwise. She raised her blade, pointing it at Heryanna and holding it up right next to her head. Ice particles floated up from the four holes that she had made in the ground.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!"

A huge wave of ice emerged from the very tip of her Zanpakutou's blade, rushing towards Heryanna at an incredible speed, aiming to encase him in the ice. Smirking, Heryanna broke out of the ice, unscathed, only to find Rukia standing in front of him. Ice particles gathered and reinforced her blade further.

"San no Mai, Shirafune."

With all of her strength, she pierced her blade right into Heryanna's stomach. Blood splattered from his wound and Heryanna cringed. Shinji put on his hollow mask again and grinned as he released his Shikai. The pommel of his Zanpakutou transformed into a large, circular ring and he spun it round and round. Five holes were punctured into Sakanade's blade and the length of his Zanpakutou had increased. A pink mist was formed and Heryanna closed his eyes, determined to be fooled by a little diversion. He was unable to believe his eyes once he opened them and he realised that something seemed wrong with the world. Everything looked so wrong. For some reason, all directions had been reversed. The ceiling became the floor, the floor became the ceiling. Even his opponents appeared to be standing upside-down.

"Well then, I'm sure you're smart enough to know what you've gotten yourself into." Shinji chuckled.

"An' I bet ya don't know that' ya got poison in ya!" Gin smiled.

Heryanna's eyes were full of bewilderment. It was clear to everyone that he had not the slightest idea of what was going on. Cold beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and a dead slow pace, as he tried to understand what was going on around him. His world had been completely inverted and even a genius like him could not comprehend this phenomenon. He rubbed his eyes, confused and trying to use his logic to explain what was happening. Shinji was grinning to himself. Rukia was glaring at him with a strong resolution embedded within her violet eyes. Kiseida's rifle was burning and so were her eyes. Gin was grinning even wider than Shinji, to the extent that it was spine-chilling. Byakuya gave him the usual cold stare that never left his eyes. Kiseida raised her rifle and an endless flame erupted from the very tip of her weapon, heading right for Heryanna, all ready to engulf him. Shinji put on his Vizard mask and concentrated all of his strength into one single Cero, which headed towards him at top speed. Rukia was preparing to use Hakuren again, as ice particles surrounded her. Gin was all ready to give the command and release the sliver of poison deep inside Heryanna's body. Byakuya waved his arm, sending a massive wave of pink petals towards him. Heryanna's eyes widened as he saw the five incoming attacks heading towards him and he instantly knew that there was no possible way of escaping such a large-scale attack. For the very first time in his life, he had been defeated by such a seemingly simple battle strategy and had given up in the midst of a battle.

_Well then, Aizen-sama… My deepest apologies. Even the most ingenious of the New Espada can fall to these Shinigamis. Looks like it'll be all up to you, Viquierra. Looks like you'll have to make up for all of our losses. Kiiyaa… Wolffe… Geneva… I'll be joining you three in a while._

Heryanna lay in his own pool of blood, taking in his remaining few breaths while he still had the chance to. As unsatisfied as he was about the fact that he had lost to a mere group of Shinigamis, he knew that his displeasure would not change anything. It would be better not to drown in his unhappiness now. His life would be over in a few seconds and nothing was going to change that. After his last breath, his body relaxed and became completely motionless. The five stood above Heryanna, gasping for air. The 2nd New Espada had put up a fantastic fight, exhausting them of their energy and forcing them to push themselves harder than ever. However, he had still fallen and it took the five of them to do it. Rukia began to worry. If it took five of them to take down the 2nd New Espada, what about the 1st New Espada?

Just then, all the Vizards and the Shinigami rushed into the vicinity. All of them had just finished their battles with their respective Fraccion and New Espadas and they were haggard and drained of energy.

"I suppose you've just finished your battle?" Ukitake asked the five of them.

"Yeah, we did." Shinji replied.

"It's been about seventy two hours now…" Shunsui sighed. "It seems that Tayomi Taicho, Hitsugaya Taicho and Ichigo are still not done over on their side."

"I'm rather concerned… The three of them are so alike, all refusing to give up even when they're on the brink of death." Hinamori shook her head.

"Should we check on them?" Kira asked.

Just then, a deafening explosion was heard. The whole group turned towards the source of the sound, only to see an eruption of lightning emerging from the Seijotokyorin. Lightning flashed and the sky darkened drastically, turning as black as night. Only one Captain wielded a lightning-type Zanpakutou and had the capacity to use such a large-scale attack, despite the fact that she was probably badly injured, judging by how long the battle had lasted until now.

"Tayomi…" Hisagi muttered to himself.

Without hesitation, the entire group sped towards the Seijotokyorin.

* * *

Viquierra blinked. The New Espada were almost completely wiped out. Kiiyaa's, Geneva's and Heryanna's reiatsu had faded out completely. Wolffe's reiatsu was unstable, wavering as if his lifeforce could disappear within any second

"Your army's almost done for, Viquierra." Tayomi muttered. "And so will you."

Tayomi breathed heavily, her Bankai draining her reiatsu rapidly upon releasing Inazuma Arashi. Viquierra finally sustained substantial wounds, his left wing bleeding profusely and a pool of blood forming around him. After seventy-two hours, they had finally managed to land a proper hit on him.

"That's enough, Viquierra."

A familiar voice rang in her ears. A voice belonging to someone she detested and hated so deeply. Tayomi clutched her right arm, which was spewing blood due to her exhaustion and her previous injuries, as Aizen walked beside Viquierra and smiled at the group of Shinigami that had just arrived at the scene.

"It wouldn't be much of a fight if you were to kill all of my Espada now."

"Or is it because you only have two left..?" Tayomi huffed.

Aizen smirked.

"Nothing of the sort, Tayomi-chan." He whispered right into her ear, his breath sending waves of disgust into her soul. "After all, if I were to send all five of my New Espada here to be killed… And have them engage in an unfair battle… It wouldn't be very nice, would it?"

Hitsugaya pulled Tayomi back, separating her from Aizen and standing in front of her, ready to protect her.

"How many times must I repeat myself, Aizen?" Hitsugaya tightened the grip on Hyourinmaru. "If you touch her, I WILL KILL YOU."

"Don't get so excited now, Hitsugaya Taicho." Aizen shrugged, giving the Captains a smug expression which never failed to irk them. "I'm just here to tell you that we're having a little… Change of plans. We'll play a nice rotational battle one month from now, at Karakura Town. The duration of the battle… Your opponents… Everything will be beyond your control."

Opening the Garganta, Aizen returned to Hueco Mundo with Viquierra following behind. Viquierra took a last glance at Ichigo, before turning his back and disappearing into the passageway.

* * *

Back in the 5th Division Barracks, Tayomi lay in her bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling as her hand ran over the bandages on her chest and the tulip marked on her arm. _Rotational battle… Aizen's really getting full of himself… But if everything is randomised and fair… Any of us could face Viquierra again and this time, we'd be alone… And three people were just enough to put a few scratches on him… And I'm not even sure if the spell I'm working on can…_

"Tayomi."

Tayomi turned her head, slightly taken aback by the sudden appearance of Hitsugaya by her bedside, her thoughts interrupted.

"We're returning to the real world soon… And this time all the Captains and Lieutenants will we following us to Karakura Town. We're to train there until the rotational battle with Aizen."

Tayomi stared blankly at him, before turning her head away and closing her eyes. Right now, she didn't feel like hearing anything out. She had more than enough on her mind. Once the Fake Karakura Town was constructed and switched with the real one, it would mean that it was time to fight Aizen. Time was running out.

Hitsugaya noticed her sudden aloofness, noting that she seemed noticeably frustrated and tired. Whenever she refused to speak, it was a clear sign not to disturb her thoughts and leave her be. He sighed, giving her a short kiss on her forehead before returning to his division's barracks. Once she heard him leave, Tayomi opened her eyes and looked up at the moon, her purplish-blue eyes glowing under the gentle beams from the moon. She stared hard at the tulip on her arm, the physical reminded of her crucial role in the approaching battle against Aizen.

Time was definitely running out.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

HIHI EVERYONE :D  
I would like to apologise for how long this chapter has been sitting around and I haven't updated this story for more than a year now :(  
Things have been rather crazy for me... I'm currently in my final year of Junior College (also known as High School for some of you) and I'm about to take a national exam in about a month's time. That coupled with my commitments (I was elected to be the President of my Dance Club last year and my term ended in June) and all the stuff that's been happening at home was why I took so long to update.  
GOMENASAI! T.T  
So here's a chapter for all of you who are still around, I received a message from one of the readers, BentoBoxCosplay, telling me to continue my story. Really sorry for the big hiatus, I probably won't update till my exams are over (28 November!) or I'll be writing really slowly, but I thought I should just update you all on what's been going on and why I disappeared for so long T.T  
Yupyup so even though Aizen is happily sealed away now, he isn't in my story UGH. Next chapter, we'll be finally taking a nice break from all the fighting and give Tayomi and the rest some time to train. We'll also receive a nice hint about what the tulip mark on her arm is for, so do stay tuned!  
Please review and comment! Thanks for all your support :')


	61. Temporary Separation, Permanent Secrets

**CHAPTER 61: TEMPORARY SEPARATION, PERMANENT SECRETS**

"Well… Our house is awkwardly cramped today."

Tayomi glanced around the living room as all the Captains and Vice-Captains gathered in their house for a meeting. Ever since Head Captain Commander Yamamoto's orders, all of the Captains and Vice-Captains headed for Karakura Town to keep an eye out for Aizen while the seated Shinigami and Squad Zero took care of Soul Society. Everyone had squeezed into the Living Room, waiting for dinner before starting the conference call with Head Captain Commander Yamamoto.

Once the timer went off, Tayomi instantly rushed to the kitchen to bring out the honey glazed chicken she had made for her colleagues. Hinamori helped her cut the chicken into portions and divide the salad, while Matsumoto and Hisagi helped hand out the food to the other Captains and Vice-Captains.

"Ah, it smells good doesn't it, Nanao-Chan?" Shunsui sniffed the piping hot meal and gave a disturbing smile to Nanao, provoking her to smack him on the head with the book she was reading.

"A decent meal fit for my status," Byakuya muttered to himself.

"Yay! I finally get to try Yomi-Yomi's cooking!" Yachiru cheered and jumped up and down excitedly.

Tayomi sat between Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, eating her homemade dinner while deep in thought. _It'll be great if such peaceful times could continue this way… _Noticing her sudden silence, Hitsugaya stared at her for a moment. He could sense that she was hiding something from him… If only he knew what. He reached out his hand to tuck a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear, afraid that she would end up chewing her hair with her food. Tayomi blushed, her cheeks turning into a shade of bright red. Spotting her Captain's affectionate act, Matsumoto squealed in delight and hugged the two Captains.

"AHHHHHHH TAICHO THAT WAS SO CUTE! Why are you only nice to Tayomi-chan and not to me?" She whined.

"That's because you don't do your paperwork."

"But Taicho, I'm such a loyal and hardworking…"

"But you don't do your paperwork."

"But I've always backed you up and ran errands for you and…"

"Still never did your paperwork."

At the exact same moment, the large screen installed in the living room flickered, showing Yamamoto's face, with Vice-Captain Sakashibe behind him. Yamamoto informed the Captains that Aizen had issued a set of rules for the upcoming battle. The Captains and Vice-Captains gasped as they heard about the intensity and elaborate system of the battles, with a total of 13 arenas, each allowing a one-on-one battle with anyone that was randomly selected by the systems controlling the arena. The most fearsome thing was that it could select anyone, no matter which side they fought for, and they were forced to fight to the death or until the arena decided to rotate the opponents or switch in new fighters. Apparently, if the people within the arena refused to fight, Aizen would release "a force that was worse than fighting each other", hinting to the Captains and Vice-Captains that they had no choice but to fight, regardless of who their opponent was.

"Also… I have a question for Hitsugaya Taicho and Tayomi Taicho."

Tayomi and Hitsugaya stared at each other with their eyes wide open, wondering what Yamamoto could possibly want from them.

"What exactly is your relationship? I want you to clarify your relationship now."

"Yama-jii… Why is it of concern to you?" Shunsui quickly came to Tayomi and Hitsugaya's defence.

"CLARIFY YOUR RELATIONSHIP, HITSUGAYA TAICHO. I know there is something going on between you two, even without looking at the way you two are sitting."

Tayomi glanced at Hitsugaya, instantly realizing that he had her arm around her and they were sitting close to each other, with her arms wrapped around his waist. She instinctively backed off and looked at her feet, before looking up to face Yamamoto's stern face, which was brimming with fury.

"We're together." Hitsugaya replied coldly.

"I know that both of you are very capable, being the youngest Captains in the history of the Gotei 13," Yamamoto nodded. "However, I expect you to behave with the same maturity as the other Captains. This upcoming battle is extremely crucial. I will not allow your relationship to interfere with your performance. You are not permitted to discuss your relationship until this battle is over. You will only talk about work and focus on your task at hand. This is not the right time for any of you to be distracted. Especially when you've been entrusted such a great task, Tayomi Taicho. That's all."

Once the screen switched off, Tayomi was dumbstruck. Her relationship had been suspended by Captain Commander Yamamoto. She could feel the pressure in the room rising, especially within herself. She was aware of her own task, running her hand over the tulip insignia on her arm. She glanced at Hitsugaya, holding back her own tears, before moping back to her room.

* * *

"Yomi-chan?"

Hinamori crept into her Captain's room, after sending the other Captains and Vice-Captains off, as everyone headed to their own headquarters scattered around Karakura Town, with Tayomi and Hitsugaya's holding the central location. She found Tayomi hiding under her quilt, letting out a few sobs. Hinamori sighed, her heart aching for her friends, knowing how much suffering they had endured to finally be together. Taking Tayomi into her embrace, she held her Captain for a moment and tried to console her, before noticing that Hitsugaya had entered the room. She frowned at him and shook her head, knowing that they wanted some time alone on the last night they were allowed together.

Once Hinamori left the room, Hitsugaya slowly walked forward towards her, trying to suppress the excruciating pain he felt from their separation. He had not expected Captain-Commander Yamamoto to know what had happened between Tayomi and him. Gently, he lifted the quilt and stared into Tayomi's eyes, wiping away the tears she shed with his finger.

"It's alright. Once we're done with this, it'll all be okay."

Tayomi shook her head slowly.

"It won't. It just won't."

Upon hearing her words, Hitsugaya grabbed her right wrist, gripping it tightly. The snowflake bracelet he had given her from their schooling days sparkled under the moonlight, glittering as it always had.

"This bracelet I gave you is my promise to you! I made you a promise Tayomi! It'll be alright once this is over and we finish Aizen off! It'll be alright! WE'LL BE ALRIGHT!"

Suddenly from the corner of his eye, he noticed a black tulip insignia imprinted on her arm. It definitely wasn't related to her limiter. He had never seen it before. Tayomi wasn't the type to get tattoos either. It was strange. He looked at her face, as Tayomi bit her lip and looked away, knowing he had spotted the insignia.

"Tayomi… What's this..?"

Silence.

"Tell me!"

Tayomi shook her head violently, bursting into tears again.

"I CAN'T TELL YOU AND NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME!"

She wrestled her arm from his grip, rubbing her wrist as it felt sore from his grasp. Hitsugaya sighed, knowing it was pointless to convince her to tell him. Tayomi was stubborn enough to refuse to reveal a secret and he decided to respect her decision to do so. He shook his head, before inching towards her slowly and pulling her in for a long, deep kiss. Slightly shocked by his actions, Tayomi shut her eyes tightly, as she felt the distance between her pillow and her head diminish. It wasn't the usual gentle kisses. It was rough, forceful, and a clear indicator of his despair, as he held her tightly and refused to let her go and his lips leave hers. Placing her hands against his chest, she violently pushed him away, inhaling deeply and leaving Hitsugaya shocked.

"You heard Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders. We'll settle this after the war… Hopefully."

The next morning, all of the shinigami gathered in Urahara's underground training facility. All of the Captains stood before their subordinates, waiting for Tayomi to appear. Today's session was headed by her, and they were to focus on enhancing their Kidou skills. Being the most gifted at Kidou, it was no surprise that she was the most capable of heading today's session.

"According to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Aizen will be bringing out more Espada to deal with us in the upcoming battle. And he intends to enhance their abilities in every way possible. Due to that, we can't let our guard down in any aspect of the Shinigami arts."

Tayomi unsheathed Inazuma Kaze and placed her hand on its blade.

"Today, I'm going to teach you a special kind of kidou. I'm going to teach you how to deflect Ceros… And I'll teach you how to protect yourselves from being sealed."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Well that was an unexpected statement... It serves as a little hint to what it coming up next in the upcoming battles and the strange things that have been going on. My exams are finally over so I'll have more time to update and finally catch up on Bleach :D Can't say I'm very happy with how it's turning out... Kubo needs to stop cutting Hitsugaya out of fights and let us see his Bankai at full strength!

Next chapter will be on their training and we'll get to see Tayomi spar with someone :) Please review and comment! Thanks for reading and for your support :D


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